Solace and Other Gems
by maddie-mira
Summary: The Benbow Inn was a second home to Ali; a place where she found a good life after a troubled past. But after destruction comes to the inn, Ali joins Jim Hawkins and Dr. Doppler on an adventure she never dreamed of. Along the way, she must deal with new obstacles and face a few of her personal ghosts.
1. Chances

**Well, here we are. My first fanfiction story in almost four years! And my first Treasure Planet fanfiction, to boot :D. Let's see how it goes, shall we?**

 **IMPORTANT DETAIL: I will be using music in this fanfic. I will post links on my profile to songs that I believe would make good background music while reading certain scenes. THe point of this arrangement is to hopefully give the scenes a little extra ambiance. This first chapter won't have background music because it's short; but be sure to check my profile before the other chapters for music!**

 **I'll ALSO be using music directly in the plot, mostly songs with full lyrics. I'll post these on my profile as well, for your listening pleasure.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Treasure Planet, only my OC. And now, on with the story!**

Chapter 1

Ali pulled the coat tighter around her thin frame as the wind picked up again. The gusts blew sheets of rain into her face, and she had to bite her tongue against language that would horrify her mother.

 _Mom…_ her eyes turned misty, and then hardened. _No! I can't keep thinking about that!_ She kept walking, scanning desperately for any kind of shelter.

Without warning, she walked straight into a post, falling backwards from the impact. As she rubbed the new bruise on the back of her head, she realized something was hanging from the post. A sign. She squinted, trying to make out the words.

"Ben…boat…no, no, bow…Benbow…Inn. An inn!" She sprang up and forged ahead with renewed vigor. A few minutes later she was at the door of the inn. She raised her hand to knock, then hesitated. The people at the last inn had slammed the door in her face, and she'd been dry then. Maybe there was a back entrance?

Groaning, she stepped back into the rain and began walking around the building. Before long she found a second, more flimsy wooden door, blown partway open by the storm.

She eased her way inside and found herself in a kitchen. She quickly found a corner near the stove, which still gave off a bit of heat, and sat down, peeling off her coat. Kitchens were out of the way; she could just sleep here for the night and leave before anyone found her. She laid her head on the floor and let her eyes close.

ooOoo

Jim Hawkins woke with a yawn, pushing his hair back from his eyes. Daylight was peeking through the curtains, the sun just barely clearing the horizon.

A sudden grumbling noise broke the silence. Jim looked down, sheepishly putting a hand on his stomach.

It was Sunday, so the inn was only serving brunch. His mom would be asleep for at least another hour.

But…he was _hungry!_

He padded out of his room and down the stairs, skipping the creaky bottom step. Pushing the kitchen door open, he began to rummage around, hoping there were some extra purps somewhere. A soft noise halted his search. He turned around, and had to stifle a gasp.

There was a girl lying in the corner! He crept closer, wanting a better look. She was curled on her side, fast asleep. Her shoulder length hair was splattered with dried mud, and her body looked a bit too thin to be healthy.

She sighed and turned over in her sleep, halting Jim's examination. He backed silently out of the kitchen, and then all but flew up to his mother's room.

"Mom! Mom!" He nearly shouted, tapping on her back.

"Jim! Not today," Sarah Hawkins groaned. "Not another early day."

"But Mom, this is important!" Jim insisted. "There's a girl in the kitchen!"

"Mmm, that's nice, honey…" his mother mumbled, closing her eyes. Five seconds later, she sat bolt upright. "What did you say?"

ooOoo

Ali woke to a hand shaking her shoulder and a soft voice. "Hey." Grimacing, she tried to ignore it. The hand shook her more insistently. "Wake up!"

Grudgingly, she opened her eyes. She sat up and found a woman standing over her. Gasping, she sprang to her feet.

The woman had long, dark brown hair that framed gray eyes. She wore a blue bathrobe, tied in the front. She had her arms crossed and one eyebrow raised. "All right, what are you doing in my kitchen?"

Ali gulped. "I-I'm very sorry, ma'am. I got lost last night, and it was raining so hard, a-and I just needed a dry place to sleep." She wrapped her arms around herself. "I didn't take anything, I swear! I just wanted to get out of the rain."

Sarah considered the girl silently. She wore a tattered brown dress that hung loosely on her, and sandals that had seen better days. Her hair was so matted with mud that it was impossible to tell the color. And at the moment, she was staring at the floor, biting back tears.

"What's your name?"

The girl looked up. "Alianne Wood. But most people call me Ali," she couldn't help adding.

"Ali, then. How old are you?"

"Twelve years old, ma'am."

 _She's the same age as Jim._ "Where are your parents?"

A few stray tears leaked from Ali's eyes, but her voice was steady. "They're gone."

Sarah felt a surge of pity. "I see. Well, Ali…would you like something to eat? No charge."

Ali's mouth dropped open. She couldn't believe the abrupt change. Still, she wasn't about to pass up free food. "Yes, please."

"All right then." Sarah went to the fridge and started pulling out ingredients.

"Do you want any help?"

Sarah stared at Ali. "You can cook?"

Ali nodded. "I'm good at cleaning, too."

"I can handle the cooking. We have some dirty dishes around the sink, though. Would you take a crack at cleaning those?"

"Yes, ma'am." Ali turned to the sink and wrinkled her nose. The dishes were piled three feet high. Shaking her head, she grabbed a scrub brush and set to work.

Twenty minutes later, Sarah had a pan full of cooked food. She turned towards the sink. "Ali, can you hand me a clean…plate…" Her voice trailed off as she stared.

The dishes were still stacked, but now they were spotless and properly organized. Ali was rinsing soap off her hands.

"Ali, how did you do all that?" Sarah asked, eyes wide.

Ali blushed and handed over the requested plate. "I'm just used to working fast, ma'am. Is the food done?" She asked timidly.

Sarah shook away the shock and smiled. "Yes." She spooned out the contents of the pan, placed a fork on the side of the plate, and handed it back to Ali. "Eat up."

Ali didn't need to be told twice. Within two minutes, the plate was empty. As soon as she was done, she washed the plate and fork in the sink and placed them with the other dishes.

"Ali…do you have anywhere you can go?" An idea was forming in Sarah's mind.

Ali's expression turned sad again. "No."

Sarah hesitated, and then came to a decision. "What if we worked out a deal?"

Ali's sadness faded into curiosity. "What kind of deal?"

"I'm the owner of this inn, and I've been in need of extra help lately. In exchange for work, I can offer you a room to stay in and three meals a day."

Ali's eyes went round as saucers. "Really?"

"Really. It isn't an easy job, though; you'll have to work hard."

 _Yes. Say yes!_ "I'll work very hard ma'am, I promise! I accept your offer. Thank you so much, I promise I won't let you down, ma'am! Thank you!"

Sarah chuckled. "You're welcome, Ali. But enough of this ma'am business; it makes me feel old," she said with a wink. "My name is Sarah Hawkins. Let's go with Ms. Sarah, all right?"

"Yes ma'—I mean, Ms. Sarah."

"Good. Now, first order of business: we need to get you cleaned up."

Ali smiled for the first time that day. "Yes, Ms. Sarah!"

Sarah led the small girl to a bedroom with a small adjoining bathroom, chatting the whole way there. And from a shadowed corner, Jim watched them go, brows furrowed.


	2. One Day At a Time

**Music for this chapter is posted on my profile!**

Chapter 2

Ali sighed happily as she sank into the tub of warm water. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had a real bath. Picking up the bath products, she first washed her body and face, and then her hair, which created a murky brown cloud in the water. When she deemed the job adequately done, she stood and stepped out of the bathtub, wrapping a towel around her slim frame.

She examined herself in the mirror over the sink. Her skin was pink from scrubbing, and her hair was still in tangles. But she was _clean_! No dirt, no sweat; just freshness.

A few painful minutes with a brush and an alarming automatic dryer sorted her hair. That done, she walked into the adjoining bedroom—her bedroom!—to find a simple blue dress on the bed. Sarah had insisted on washing her old clothes, saying she would find something else for Ali to wear. "I'm sure I have a few things leftover from when I was younger," she had said.

Of course, Ali had had to beg Sarah to let her keep her old clothes, including the wad of fabric in her coat pocket, instead of throwing them out. She knew they were practically rags, but they were all she had left of her old life.

Ali slipped the dress over her head. It was loose on her torso, and the skirt hung past her ankles. Still, it was more than she had expected to get.

 _I didn't expect this opportunity at all, in fact. It seems almost too lucky._ Ali shook her head and grabbed a ribbon that had sat next to the dress, tying it over the fabric and around her waist. _I'll just take it one day at a time. Better to be cautious for now._

Deciding she looked as decent as could be managed, she slipped out the door and started down the hallway. The floor up here was carpeted. Ali winced; that would make dusting harder. Maybe Ms. Sarah knew some tricks for handling it…

Lost in thoughts of her new duties, Ali didn't see the second person charging across the floor until he ran into her, knocking her down and landing right on top of her.

"Oh, shoot!" The boy exclaimed, scrambling off of her. "I'm sorry. Are you ok?"

Ali looked the boy over. He looked about her age, with dark brown hair and enormous blue eyes. And right now, those eyes were reflecting his worried questions.

She picked herself up off the floor. "I'm all right. Why were you going so fast, though?"

The boy gave a sheepish smile. "Well, I was kinda looking for you."

Instantly her guard was up. "M-me?"

"Yep. You're Ali, right?"

"How did you—"

"I listened in when you and Mom were talking. So you're working here now?"

Ali hesitated. "That's right."

"That's cool, I guess. I'm Jim, by the way," the boy said with another smile.

"Nice to meet you."

Jim took in her face, noting the differences from earlier that morning. Without all the muck he could see that her hair was blonde, and her eyes were a dark green. She still looked too skinny, though.

"Jim!" Sarah's voice called from downstairs. "What's all the noise about?" She made her way up the stairs, smiling when she spotted the two kids. "Oh good, you've met."

"We just ran into each other, Mom," added Jim.

"Literally," Ali muttered to herself. But Sarah heard the comment.

"Literally?" She turned to Jim, one eyebrow raised.

"Uhhh, yeah." Jim scuffed his shoe on the floor. "I was looking for her, but I was kind of going fast, and I sort of…knocked her over."

"James Pleiades Hawkins, what have I told you about running in the halls?"

"To not to," Jim mumbled.

"Maybe you've learned your lesson this time. Now, you should apologize to Ali."

"I already did." He turned to Ali. "I did, right?"

Ali nodded. "Yes, you did."

Sarah sighed. "All right. Actually, Ali, I was coming to check up on you myself. I want to find out which dishes you already know how to cook. Will you come downstairs with me?"

"Yes, Ms. Sarah."

"Good. Follow me."

"Hey Ali!" Jim piped up. "I'll see you later, ok?" He flashed her a grin.

Ali managed a small smile in return before turning to follow Sarah. "See you." _Just one day at a time._

ooOoo

The alarm clock beeped insistently, making the girl nearby roll over and groan. She slowly sat up and reached over, smacking the top of the clock into silence.

Ali yawned, pushing gold strands of hair out of her eyes. She shuddered when her feet touched the cold floor of her bedroom; but she smiled as she pulled a dress out of her closet. After two days of tripping over the hem of the first dress, Sarah had taken her to get fitted for new clothes. They had returned to the inn with three dresses, two nightgowns, socks, underwear (which Ali had hid under the rest of the purchases), and a pair of sturdy boots. Despite her lingering timidity, Ali couldn't help giving Sarah a grateful hug, which the woman had returned with a startled laugh.

Today she chose a green dress that matched her eyes. All the dresses had been given intentionally loose bodices, and after two weeks of proper meals Ali had filled them out. She was still skinny, but no more so than many girls her age.

Slipping on her socks and boots, Ali headed down to the front room to clean off the tables before breakfast. A clattering from the kitchen made her turn around. Sarah walked through the doors, tying her hair into a ponytail as she moved.

"Oh Ali, you're up! Thank you, I forgot about doing the tables."

"Of course, Ms. Sarah."

"But where's Jim? He's supposed to be helping." Sarah frowned. "I'd bet my apron he's still asleep. Would you go and check on him?"

"Ummm…" Ali wasn't sure about poking around in a boy's room. "Well…"

"Please, Ali? I'm heating things down here that I can't move far from."

Ali sighed. "Yes, Ms. Sarah." She climbed the stairs to the second floor and over to Jim's room, which was just three doors down from hers. When she reached his door, she knocked timidly. "Jim?"

No answer. She put her ear to the door and listened, then had to stifle a laugh. It was soft but unmistakable: the sound of snoring.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked more insistently. "Jim! Your mom will be mad if you're not up soon." An incoherent mumble was the only response. "Please?" She thought for a moment, and then added, "I'll make you my special cinnamon toast."

The door was thrown open five seconds later, revealing a rumpled-looking Jim. "Really?" His eyes were bleary but hopeful behind the bangs that framed both sides of his face.

"Really. Although you're not helping anyone by sleeping in every day." Ali immediately slapped a hand over her mouth, regretting her slip-up.

Jim frowned. Ali had been doing this kind of thing since she arrived. She'd be very careful and polite with her words, and then whenever she said something more opinionated she would panic. "You know, you're not going to get in trouble here for speaking your mind. You should say what you mean, you know? Well," he amended with an impish smile, "you should probably be careful around some of our crankier guests."

Ali giggled at that. "I just…don't want to offend anyone."

"I'm not offended when you speak your mind. Actually, I like it better than the polite act. And I bet Mom does too."

Ali's eyes were wide with disbelief. So few people had wanted to know her real opinion. Only two other people, in fact. Her eyes stung at the thought, but she firmly held back the tears.

"Ali! Is Jim up yet?" Sarah's voice made Ali jump and peer over the staircase. She opened her mouth, but Jim answered for her.

"Yeah Mom, I'm up. I'll be down soon."

"Well, hurry up. You need to help Ali with washing tables."

"What?" Jim's face was comically dismayed as he turned to Ali. "You only mentioned the toast!"

"I didn't say you'd get it for free," she responded with a giggle. "I'll meet you down there."

The boy wanted honesty. It was worth a try.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 **Yes, I know not much has happened so far; but these past two chapters are laying the groundwork for the rest of the story. I want to spend some time on character development before getting to the beginning of the movie. Things will start to happen in the next chapter, though, a sort of teaser before some real drama comes out.**

 **Fun fact: Jim's middle name, Pleiades, refers to a cluster of seven stars, and the word "Pleiades" is derived from the Greek " _plein_ ," which means "to sail." Fitting, eh?**


	3. Burned

**Music for this chapter is posted on my profile :)**

Chapter 3

"Alright, kids, that should do it for the dining room. Have you two eaten?" Sarah inquired.

"Yep! Ali made some cinnamon toast!" Jim answered, voice muffled from a final bite of the dish.

"It wasn't there for long once Jim saw it," Ali muttered wryly. Sarah blinked in surprise at the girl's openness, but quickly decided she liked it.

"Why don't you two get outside for a little while, then? You'll be busy for a while once the guests start coming down."

Jim was opening the door before Sarah had finished talking. He looked back at Ali. "You comin'?"

"Um, sure." She could drop the polite act in front of Jim, but the shyness was just starting to fade. In any case, she quickly followed him out onto the desert landscape.

"So, have you ever been solar surfing?" He asked her.

"Actually, yeah. I don't know any tricks, though."

A mischievous smirk spread across Jim's face, and Ali found herself feeling both curious and somewhat worried. "How about we change that?"

ooOoo

Ali wasn't sure she liked Jim's method of flying. His flips and abrupt turns had her clinging to the railing around the sails for dear life, and she was regretting having eaten recently. He took a sudden dive toward the ground, and the end of his rattail braid flew up into her face. "Wait! Wait, just hold on!" She shouted over the wind.

Jim brought the board parallel to the ground and landed them softly on the dirt. "Are you ok?" He asked, noting her queasy expression with concern.

"Not exactly." Ali breathed slowly and deeply through her nose, just concentrating for several minutes on the flow of air in and out of her lungs. When she stopped, her stomach felt settled.

"Better?" Jim asked.

Ali smiled shyly. "Better. Could we try again, but without all the flipping?"

Jim deflated a little. "No tricks?"

"I didn't say that. True, I don't like having the world spin around me. What I like," Ali paused a moment, "is speed."

Jim's eyebrows shot up, and his grin returned full force. "Let's do it!"

"Thank you. We'll need somewhere without a lot of obstacles; lots of open air."

"Got it." Jim powered up the engine and guided them above a plateau that peaked a few dozen feet off the ground. "Does this work?"

"This is good. Can I steer?" Ali held her breath, wondering how he'd react. He obviously loved flying, and it was his surfer, after all.

Jim looked surprised, but stepped around her so she could plant her feet in the proper spots, and get a good grip on the railing. She smiled gratefully. "Ok, hold on, and lean forward as far as you can without falling."

Jim did as she instructed, and as the surfer took off, he understood her advice. Leaning forward created a streamlined effect, so they could go faster. Faster than he'd ever gone, in fact. The wind actually squeezed tears out of his eyes, and it took plenty of blinking to adjust his vision.

Ali, on the other hand, was having the time of her life. The wind in her hair and the rippling of the sails was exhilarating, and she felt free for the first time in ages. She steered the board higher, and as the air currents catapulted them forward, she let out a whoop that made Jim gape at her.

After a few more minutes, she landed the surfer on solid ground. Jim half toppled off, landing on his rear end. Ali chuckled, but found he was still staring at her. "What?" She said, a little defensively.

"How'd you learn to ride like that?" He asked incredulously.

Ali sat down beside him. "My dad taught me. He was a sailor, so he insisted I be competent on some kind of aircraft. He even showed me how to steer a ship a few times," she added a little nostalgically.

Jim frowned, catching the past tense in her speech. "Was?"

Ali's eyes misted over, taking on a faraway glint. "Yeah. He worked on a merchant ship. Two years ago, he left to do a routine delivery…and the ship came back a month later. It was empty and in pieces." A few tears slipped past her guard, and she wiped them away quickly. "I still like to think that he's alive somewhere out there, and just doesn't know how to get back. I know it's not likely, but…" She stopped, horrified. What was she doing, telling Jim all this? She hardly knew him!

But then she felt a hand on top of hers. She looked up, and watery green eyes connected with grave blue.

"My dad left on a ship two years ago," he said softly. "But he had no plans to come back." Ali's eyes widened and she turned her hand over to grasp his. A moment of mutual understanding passed between the two of them, silent but clear. They had both lost their dads. True, the two cases had different circumstances; but on the most basic level their losses were the same. Both of their fathers had left and never returned.

"We should get back to the inn," Ali eventually said. "I need to help your mom with the cooking."

Jim nodded. "Ok." Then, without warning, he leapt up and ran to the solar surfer. "Dibs on piloting!"

"No fair," Ali laughed. But she took the spot behind him on the surfer anyway, smiling as it zipped towards the building in the distance.

ooOoo

"Ms. Hawkins, I need another glass of purp juice!" A many-tentacled woman called from across the dining room.

"Coming right up, Mrs. Dunwoody!" Sarah called back. An apron was tied securely around her waist as she hurried to the kitchen. Inside was Ali, a pot of boiling water on the stove and a tray of customers' orders in her hands.

Sarah sighed and stepped forward. "Thank you Ali, it helps that you're so fast at this." Before she could take the tray, though, Ali took two steps back. "Ali?"

"Ms. Sarah, why don't you stay back here and catch your breath for a minute?" Ali could see the stiffness of Sarah's spine, and the strands of hair that had fallen haphazardly out of her ponytail.

"What? Don't be silly, I need to get the customers their food."

But Ali persisted. "I can handle this one. And I could use a little experience with customer service, right? Just stay back here and keep an eye on that water for me; I'll be using it for Delbert's Alponian chowder." Dr. Delbert Doppler was a good friend of Sarah's and frequented the Inn. If Sarah thought she was being helpful to her friend, she might cave easier.

Sarah sighed but gave a grateful smile. Bingo. "All right. Just remember your manners," she said with a meaningful look.

"Yes, Ms. Sarah." Ali pushed through the kitchen doors, humming softly. She maneuvered her way around tables, stopping the humming only to set plates of food in front of eager customers.

Then she approached a table in the corner. "You wanted more purp juice, Mrs. Dunwoody?" Her absolute _favorite_ customer.

"Well, it's about time!" The tentacled woman exclaimed as Ali set the full glass on the table.

 _Loud-mouthed old nag_ , Ali thought. Rather than say it out loud, though, she started humming again and picked up the other, empty glass.

Mrs. Dunwoody took a swig of the juice as Ali hummed, and seemed to relax a little. "You have a rather nice voice, dear."

Ali smiled knowingly and headed back to the kitchen. "Thank you, ma'am. Enjoy your drink."

Morning blurred into evening as customers came and went, and soon it was time to close the inn's restaurant. Ali went through her usual inspection of the kitchen, putting away dishes and making sure appliances were turned off. The stovetop was most important, with its little divots full of fire.

As she was testing the knob of the fourth burner, a tongue of flame suddenly flared out, singeing her index finger. She shouted in surprise and pain, and then hurried to the sink. Even as cool water from the faucet soothed her skin, however, memories flashed through her mind.

 _It was so hot. Smoke was everywhere. She couldn't breathe…_

 _"Ali, go now!"_

"Ali, are you all right?" Sarah's voice, confused and a little worried, cut through the flashes.

"That last burner on the oven…i-it got my finger." Her voice was choked, as she was trying once again not to cry.

"I should have gotten that thing fixed by now," Sarah scolded herself. "I already knew it was a hazard. Keep your hand under the water, all right? I have some burn cream in my room that works wonders."

"Ok," Ali managed, though not without a sniffle.

"Oh, sweetheart, don't cry. We'll have you fixed up in no time."

"I know. It just…hurts." And it was true. The burn did hurt. It just wasn't the only source of her pain.

Fortunately, Sarah took the statement at face value, and reappeared a minute later with the cream and some bandages. Soon Ali's finger was carefully wrapped, and the cream had reduced the pain to a dull ache.

"Thank you, Ms. Sarah," Ali said sincerely.

"Of course. Now, let's get to bed. We'll check your finger again in the morning."

Ali nodded, and together she and Sarah headed to the second floor.

ooOoo

 _The heat was unbearable, and it was everywhere. Her bare feet prickled with it as she ran to her mother's bedroom._

 _"Mama!" She pounded on the door. "Mama!" There was no answer. She grabbed the doorknob, but let go with a shriek when the metal knob burned red welts into her palm._

 _"Ali?" Her mom's voice sounded nearby._

 _"Mama!" Ali shouted back. "Where are you?"_

 _"I'm by the staircase. Come to me now, there's no time!"_

 _Ali practically flew to the staircase, wrapping her arms around her mother's body. Her mother returned the embrace for a moment but then pushed her back. She grabbed a bucket of water that stood beside her and poured it over Ali, until the bucket was empty and her daughter was soaked._

 _"Come on now!" She commanded. "We have to go!"_

 _As Ali started to follow her mother, the scene around her rippled, colors swirling together to form a new scene. Her mother was pushing her toward the front door, coughing as ash filled the room._

 _"Ali, go now! I'll be right behind you!"_

 _"I'm not leaving you, Mama!"_

 _"Alianne Wood, you listen to me and go while there's still a chance!" Ali hesitated, and her mother's voice became desperate. "Ali, please!"_

 _With a sob, Ali ran through the doorway and into the night air. But before her mother could follow her, a burning wooden beam fell in front of her, blocking the exit._

 _"MAMA!" Ali tried to run back to the house, but hands grabbed her and held her back._

 _"No! NO!"_

Ali bolted upright in bed, breathing hard. She twisted her fingers in the blankets and tried to slow her breaths, even as her heart seemed to tighten in her chest.

"Ali, what's the matter?" Ali looked up. Sarah stood by her now open door, wearing a nightgown and holding a small lantern. Jim stood next to her in his grey pajamas. "We heard you screaming."

Ali tried to keep her voice steady, with little success. "I-I had a nightmare. I-I'm sorry i-if I woke you up."

Sarah came in and sat on the edge of the bed, placing the lantern on the bedside table. Jim joined her, his eyes a little afraid as he spoke. "What was the nightmare about?"

"I don't know," Ali lied. "And I'm not sure I want to know." Jim frowned and placed his hand on hers, like he had done that morning. Ali flinched a little but decided it was ok. It was sweet of him, really.

"Well, I know something that might help." Both kids' eyes flicked to Sarah. "Think you're not too old for a lullaby?"

Ali gave a shaky smile. "Only if I get to sing along. If I know the song, that is."

"Can I hear?" Jim asked impulsively.

Sarah pursed her lips. "Jim, I think maybe you should go back to bed—"

"He can stay." This time all eyes were on Ali. "I don't mind." She also vaguely wanted to keep the comfort of Jim's hand on hers, but she wasn't about to admit _that._

Sarah smiled. "If you say so." Closing her eyes, she started a soft verse.

"Come stop your crying, it'll be alright

Just take my hand, hold it tight

I will protect you from all around you

I will be here, don't you cry"

Sarah's voice was low and soothing, like a cup of hot chocolate. When Ali added her voice, Jim was pleasantly surprised. Her sound was shaky but sweet, and higher than Sarah's.

"For one so small, you seem so strong

My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm

This bond between us can't be broken

I will be here, don't you cry"

As the chorus arrived, Jim cracked. He himself would have refused a lullaby, but this one was different. This was the same song his mom always sang to him when he was little. He softly joined in, his pre-pubescent voice barely lower than Ali's.

"Cause you'll be in my heart

No matter what they say

You'll be here in my heart

Always"

Sarah sang a few more verses on her own, until Ali's eyelids fluttered shut and Jim was yawning himself. Once she felt sure that Ali was sound asleep, she helped Jim up and walked him to his bedroom, then retired to her own bed.

Little did they know that Ali was awake when they left, calmer than before but knowing sleep wouldn't come for a while. _They've been so good to me; it's almost like having a family again. But I can't tell them what happened. And someday I'll be able to forget it altogether._ She sighed, pressing her face into the pillow. _Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, Alianne._

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 **Oh, I love that song! Phil Collins sings it well, but my favorite is when Kala sings it. I imagined Sarah's singing voice as sounding like Kala's.**


	4. A Decision Made

**Before I do anything else, I want to send a shout out to T.O. Cole for being my first reviewer. Reviews really are significant, because they encourage me to keep writing, and I want to thank T.O. Cole for giving me that encouragement right off the bat :).**

 **With that said, look for this chapter's music on my profile, and read on!**

Chapter 4

Sarah groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose, slumping in her armchair. Her eyes brightened when Ali passed by the living room doorway. "Ali? Could you make me a cup of tea? I've got a headache like you wouldn't believe."

"Of course, Ms. Sarah. Jim, do you want a cup?"

"What?" Jim peered out from his own chair. "Uhh, no, I'm good."

 _Sure you are._ Ali slipped into the kitchen, filling the kettle with water and a mix of teabags and placing it on the stove. Absentmindedly, she played with her long hair. Over the years she had grown it out until it hung just above her waist. Now she separated it into sections, arranging it in a loose braid.

The kettle whistled, and she hurried to take it off the heat. Grabbing a tray, she placed three mugs on it—one for each person—and poured the steaming liquid into each one. Jim had refused her offer, but she knew him better by now. If she just brought in tea for Sarah and herself, Jim would likely drink half of hers without blinking.

She carried the tray back to the living room, where Sarah thanked her on sight. Jim rolled his eyes as she set his mug on the table, but grudgingly picked it up. There were no extra seats; but Ali was content to wander the room, sipping carefully from her own mug.

As she moved, a bit of music floated through her mind, and she started singing softly. It was a song she had heard recently, and had an air of poetic melancholy.

"Strumming my pain with his fingers

Singing my life with his words

Killing me softly with his song, killing me softly

With his song

Telling my whole life with his words

Killing me softly with his song

Long used to such outbursts, Sarah and Jim gave only mild reactions as they listened to Ali's song of the hour. Sarah simply continued her work, pen dancing over paper. Jim closed his eyes and tapped one foot to the slow beat of the music.

Jim had stopped singing along with her after they turned fourteen—some nonsense about having an image to keep up—, and he often teased her about her impromptu performances, but she knew he liked the music. It probably helped that her singing was a lot better than his. As years passed at the inn, she had received many a compliment on her voice from customers. Most of the regulars were used to her musical tendencies.

By the end of her song, the fire in the fireplace had died down to a pile of embers, giving off only the softest glow. Sarah squinted at the papers in front of her, sighing. "I can't read one bit of these tax forms in this light. Jim, would you add some more wood to the fire?"

Jim sighed like he'd been asked to do something strenuous, but got up nevertheless. Even as her pacing brought her closer to the hearth, Ali rolled her eyes. _Typical teenage boy._ Jim's sixteenth birthday had been a month ago, only two days before Ali's. Their joint party had been both modest and ridiculous, with dinner on the porch and cake that had turned into ammo for a food fight. Ali had won, of course.

Jim grabbed a log from next to the hearth and let it drop into the fireplace. As the log collided with the fire's remains, it knocked several glowing embers out onto the floor.

The good news was that everyone in the room had shoes on, so their feet were well protected. The bad news? Two embers skidded farther than the rest, setting fire to the rug and the hem of Ali's dress.

Ali screamed, throwing her (now lukewarm) tea on her skirt. Jim grabbed his own cup and poured what was left in it onto the rug. A thin trail of smoke still rose from the fabric, making Ali gasp and stomp it out.

For a moment there was silence. Then Sarah groaned again—that was one more thing to fix—and Jim started laughing. This kind of thing didn't happen every day, after all.

"Oh, _man_! That was nuts! Ali, you should have seen your reaction!" When he glanced at Ali, though, his laughter faded. His friend was standing very still with her head down, eyes closed. He stepped toward her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, everything ok?"

Her eyes opened, but they seemed to be looking at something far away. "I just don't like fire, that's all," she murmured.

Jim tilted his head. "Why not?"

Silly question, maybe, since Ali had essentially been on fire a moment ago; but she seemed to take something more from it. She lifted her head up, and her expression turned guarded. "I just don't, all right?" She turned to Sarah. "Ms. Sarah, I'm feeling tired all of a sudden; I better get to bed."

"That's just fine, dear. Hopefully you won't have any more hot surprises tonight," Sarah replied with a chuckle.

Ali forced a smile. "Good night, then," she said as she exited the room.

Jim wasn't buying her act, though. When he was sure she was out of earshot, he turned back to the armchairs. "Mom—"

"I know what you're going to say, Jim," Sarah said calmly. "We both know there's more to her than we've seen."

"So why did you let her go just now? We could've tried talking to her!"

"Jim, she's been through something rough; I knew that the first day she turned up in the kitchen. It's probably hard for her to talk about it."

Jim sighed and frowned, running a hand through his hair. He had heard Ali, the times over the years that she'd had nightmares, and always rushed to her room to help. The last time he had caught her still in a nightmare, mumbling one word: Mama. He had never asked about it, despite a sort of morbid curiosity.

But now…he couldn't ignore that something was going on. Something was making his best friend suffer, and he didn't know how to help. "So what do we do?"

Sarah sighed. "We wait."

"But—!"

"I know, Jim. But we can't force her to talk. Whether she tells us or not, it has to be her choice."

ooOoo

In her room, Ali was curled up in bed, eyes towards the dark windowpane. She bit her lip and tucked one hand underneath her pillow.

 _It'd be bad enough if I told them what happened all those years ago._ That part alone would undoubtedly horrify them.

But if she told them the whole truth… _No. They would shun me. And I couldn't blame them. It's all got to stay a secret._

ooOoo

 _The fire was everywhere, sizzling and cracking almost maliciously. She ran through thick smoke, eyes watering as she cried out. "Mama! Mama!"_

 _"Ali!" She whipped around to find her mother at the end of the hallway, eyes wide. She sped up, her lungs protesting as she inhaled more smoke. As she came within a few feet of her mother, though, she ran into an invisible barrier, her momentum throwing her back and into a wall._

 _"Ali, help!" There was a trail of fire burning behind her mother. Now it curved around, surrounding her in an ever-growing ring of flame. "Please, help me!"_

 _"Mama!" Ali ran forward again and then stopped, trying this time to force her way through the barrier. But no matter how she pushed, no matter how she beat the unseen blockade with her hands and feet, she couldn't get past it. "Mama, I can't get through!"_

 _All at once, the scene blacked out. Then, slowly, a white light appeared in front of her, serving only to emphasize the darkness all around. "What…" Noting her height and slightly curvier body, Ali realized she was sixteen again._

 _The white light brightened, and as she looked up, a figure stepped out of it. The figure had long blonde hair and a face that Ali could never forget. "Mom," she breathed._

 _Her mother stepped forward, face blank. "Why, Ali? Why did you do it?"_

 _Ali felt unease prick her like a needle. "I don't understand."_

 _"Why did you leave me in the fire?" Her mother continued, her eyes filled with betrayal._

 _Ali's eyes widened. "Mom, I-I was scared. I didn't know what to do."_

 _"Oh, you were scared, were you? Did you ever think how scared I was? No, of course not. You were too busy thinking of yourself first." Her long hair was starting to smolder at the ends._

 _"I was a little girl! You, you_ told _me to get out!"_

 _"I always said that you were smart for your age. Apparently, though, you weren't smart enough to make your own decisions. You could have gone back for me!"_

 _"No, no, I…" Tears were rolling down her cheeks. "I tried to go back, but people were holding onto me, I couldn't make them let go. I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Mom!"_

 _"It's too late for sorry, Alianne," her mother replied in a monotone. "Far too late." The light behind her became a tower of orange fire, and drew her in._

 _Ali's feet wouldn't move. Her hands couldn't reach out, and her eyes couldn't close. Even her voice had abandoned her. She could only watch in horror as her mother screamed and writhed, her flesh bubbling and charring in the flames. Each agonized scream echoed in that dark, shadowy place._

 _An eternity later, the flames receded. The body that was once Ali's mother fell to the ground, no longer moving. Suddenly Ali could move again. She staggered over to the body, singeing her palms as she tried to turn it over. She sank to the floor, sobbing._

 _"Please, no. Come back; I can't lose you too. Please, come back," she begged._

 _There was no answer. She shouldn't have expected one, but she had lost all traces of rationality. "Please come back! I'll do anything! Mom! Mom!" She lifted her head and loosed a scream, "MOM!"_

"Ali! Ali, wake up!" This voice was deeper, and an accompanying hand was shaking her shoulder. Her eyes snapped open.

Jim was sitting on the right side of her bed, leaning over her. His face was pained, and his hand was on hers in their customary gesture of comfort. "The nightmares are worse than before, aren't they," he said quietly. It wasn't a question.

Ali couldn't give a reply. She couldn't even manage a syllable right then. All she could do was lift her hands to her face and cry.

Jim sat down beside her and rested an arm around her shoulders, letting her slump back against him. Lately a simple touch of the hand wasn't cutting it. His eyes darkened as he recalled the events of the past few nights.

After the incident with the fireplace, Jim had woken to the sound of Ali having another nightmare, her first in years. He had been quick to wake her up and stay with her until she calmed down. When she fell asleep again, Jim returned to his room, thinking that was the end of it.

But then it had happened again. And again. Each time, Jim would wake her, speak to her softly, and do his best to comfort her.

Frankly, it terrified Jim to see his friend in this state. He had asked her twice so far what was wrong. Both times Ali had begged him not to ask, and the agony in her voice had kept him from pushing it. But now…

"Ali…" he said gently, "this is the fifth night in a row." His statement made her sob harder, and he swore silently.

Ali knew she was making a nuisance of herself; Jim's comment only reinforced that knowledge. But she couldn't control her dreams, no matter how much she wished she could.

Eventually her tears died down, and Jim spoke again. "Ali, I can handle a little less sleep. But it hurts to see you like this. We're worried about you, me and Mom both."

Ali looked down at her lap, at her clenched fingers, and nodded that she understood.

Encouraged, Jim forged on. "Something's really bothering you, but we don't know what. Is it something from before we knew you?"

Ali sucked in a shaky breath. "J-Jim, don't ask that, we've been through this…"

"I know we have. But it hurts to see you like this," he repeated. "And we want to help. Please, Ali? You can trust us."

Ali looked up, straight into his earnest gaze, and felt her resolve waver. "If I tell you, you're going to hate me. You won't want anything to do with me," she mumbled.

"Don't say that," Jim replied sharply. "No way could I hate you, and neither could Mom." He could feel her teetering on the edge of a decision.

"You said your mom wants to know?" Ali grasped for a loophole.

"Yes."

"But she's asleep. And I couldn't say anything if I waited until tomorrow. Hypothetically," she added quickly.

Jim stood up and headed for the door. "Where are you going?" Ali asked, panic still bubbling inside her.

"I'm going to go and get her. Mom won't mind being woken up, if she gets to hear what you have to say."

He turned the doorknob and opened the door, revealing…Sarah. She wore a bathrobe over her nightgown, and carried a cup in her hands. As Jim gaped, she walked past him and held the cup out to Ali.

"I heard the noise," she said softly. "I brought some tea. It's probably not as good as yours, but I thought it might help."

Ali managed a choked thank you as gratitude washed through her. She took the cup and brought it to her face, inhaling the steam that rose from the surface.

Sarah waited until Ali had lowered the cup before speaking again. "I also heard just now, when Jim said you had something to tell us." She sat on the foot of the mattress, and Jim returned to his place on Ali's right.

Ali looked at the people around her—people who had taken her in, given her a comfortable life, and had been willing to trust her without knowing much about her.

 _You need to tell them,_ a little voice in her head whispered. _For better or for worse, they deserve to know._

Closing her eyes, she searched through her memories, going backwards through the years. Her mind came to a staggering halt as she found what she was looking for. She took a slow breath and delved deeper, unearthing the images she had long tried to bury.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 **And the truth comes out! Well, not quite yet ;). I couldn't resist making this a cliffhanger chapter. The scene just wrote itself to cut off when it got to a really juicy turning point. Or just a dramatic turning point. Eh, same thing. Please R &R!**


	5. What Kind of Childhood

**Music is posted on my profile!**

Chapter 5

Ali shuddered as the memories hit her in a barrage. Even after all this time, the wounds still felt fresh.

"My parents first met in the Montressor spaceport," she started slowly. "My dad was a young sailor getting work on any ship that would take him, and the city was sort of his home base. My mom and my grandmother lived together in a house near the docks. One day Mom was out shopping, and Dad was back from a recent delivery job. My dad bumped into Mom in the crowd, and grabbed her shopping basket while trying to get his balance back. Mom thought he was trying to steal from her, so she did the first thing that came to mind: she punched him in the gut." Ali chuckled.

"I always liked that part of the story. Anyway, once she calmed down and Dad had his breath back, she realized her mistake, and the two of them started talking. Dad asked Mom out to lunch, and she accepted. You can guess where things went from there. After a month they went steady. After two years, they got married, and moved to a little town on the edge of the city."

"Now, you should know my mom was a cook. A really good one. By the time my parents moved, my dad had a steady job on a merchant ship, under a captain who paid well. With funds from him and from Grandma, Mom managed to open a restaurant in the space below their apartment. By the time I was born, two years later, it was the most popular place in town."

"Some of my first memories involve cooking with my mom. We'd cook using recipes, or we'd improvise. We never knew what would happen with the latter strategy, but it was always something interesting. That was how I figured out my cinnamon toast recipe," she said, glancing at Jim. Jim smiled and then nodded for her to continue.

"By the time I was six, Dad was one of the more established workers of his crew and a hard worker, and everyone knew that he had a family. The captain promoted him to a specialty position, reserving him for when the ship transported only the most valuable goods. The new position meant that he got to be home for a lot longer between voyages." A smile ghosted over her lips.

"I have memories of him, too. He ate the things I cooked even if they were awful. He taught me to ride a solar surfer, and even took me onto the ship he worked on, where I learned a few choice sailor words. Mom didn't like that," she said nostalgically. Then her eyes darkened.

"But then when I was ten, there was that voyage, the one where he disappeared." Both Jim and Sarah knew that story by now. Ali made eye contact with them individually before speaking again.

"I told you that the ship came back to port in pieces. What I didn't tell you was that it had been damaged by cannon fire, and all the cargo was missing. The authorities deemed it the aftermath of a pirate raid." Ali clenched her teeth as anger shot through her.

As for Jim, he couldn't help a soft gasp. He'd read stories about pirates, but he had never heard about them in a real life situation.

"Mom and I had been close before the incident," Ali went on, her voice softer. "But with Dad gone, we depended on each other more than ever. I practically pushed her out of bed some mornings to make her get up and interact with the restaurant employees, and she would sing me to sleep at night, always songs that we both knew. I think that's why I accepted your offer of a lullaby after my first nightmare here, Ms. Sarah." Sarah jerked at hearing her name. "Music has always been comforting for me."

"As months passed, things started to get better. Mom was busy managing the restaurant, which had just gotten more popular, and I was helping out wherever I could, so we didn't think about Dad so much. We were still grieving, but the edge had been taken off. I was starting to think we'd really be okay."

The tears were surfacing again, gathering in pools. She closed her eyes, and two drops spilled over, rolling down her cheeks. "I was wrong. One night, barely a year after Dad's ship had re-appeared, I woke up to find our apartment on fire." She drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "I ran to my mom's room and screamed for her. She was in another room, but she heard me, and we met at the staircase that led down into the restaurant. She had a bucket of water with her, probably wash water from the bathroom, and she dumped it all over me. We ran down the stairs and through the restaurant, which was burning even worse. I remember breathing in the smoke," she gagged, "and feeling the heat under my bare feet."

Her tears were streaming freely now, and she shuddered with renewed sobs. Jim wrapped his arm around her shoulders again, his eyes riveted on her face. Her expression was glassy and faded, yet filled with fear.

Ali barely felt his touch, her mind swirling with the memories. She simply continued her story, unable to stop.

"We got to the front door and pulled it open. My mom ordered me to go out first, then begged me when I hesitated. I didn't want to leave her, but I ran out the door anyway. Moments after, a flaming wooden beam fell inside the building, blocking the doorway and pinning my mom." She let out a pained cry.

"A crowd was gathered outside, but no one seemed to know what to do. I tried to run back to the doorway, but people grabbed me and held me back. I could hear Mom screaming inside. The screaming went on and on, and then suddenly just…" Ali's body went absolutely rigid. "Stopped."

Jim and Sarah looked at each other helplessly. They had never heard a story like this before, or seen a person so deeply disturbed. What were they supposed to do?

Heedless of the two, Ali went on. "Someone finally called the fire brigade, but by the time the fire was put out, the whole place was in ruins. When they brought out my mother's body…well, it wasn't her anymore. It hardly even looked like a body; more like a piece of charcoal."

Jim's eyes widened. To lose your mother so horrifically…he looked at his own mom, and a lump lodged in his throat. He grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze, reminding himself that she was right there. Sarah seemed to understand and squeezed back, but gestured back to Ali hardly a moment later.

Ali seemed to be coming to, if only enough to recognize the people around her. Still she persisted in getting her story out, hardly understandable through her sobs.

"I later found out the cause of the fire. An employee had apparently been careless in cleaning up after his shift. He forgot to turn off one of the stoves, and the wooden counter next to it was greasy from the day's cooking. A bit of flame ignited the grease, and the fire spread from there." Ali's breathing stuttered. "It was all a mis-mistake! It should never have happened. My mother is dead, all be-because some damned la-lazy idiot didn't do his job right!" Ali lost all coherence at that point, finding it hard to even breathe through the pain and the tears.

"Oh, Ali," was all Sarah could manage, in tears herself. She wiped them away quickly; now was not the time. She stood up and walked around to the front of the bed, giving Jim a very meaningful look.

Jim was not especially touchy-feely. Sure, he was freer about it with Ali and his mom, but with most people he kept his distance. He only initiated full-on physical contact if he felt it was absolutely necessary.

But as he sat there, watching his best friend break down in front of him, he had no doubts. He tapped Ali on the shoulder. When she looked up, he opened his arms in a silent invitation.

Ali all but threw herself against him, wrapping her arms tight around his torso as her sobs became heaving and violent, wracking her body. Jim wrapped his own arms around her, pulling her closer and letting her bury her face in his shirt. As she clung to him like a lifeline, Jim tilted his head down to look at her.

In everyday life, Ali was strong-willed, lighthearted, and sometimes bitingly witty. She could cut meat and vegetables a dozen different ways with frightening ease, and she was as good at solar surfing as he was. But right now, she seemed so small and fragile, like she would break if she went unprotected. And at that moment, Jim truly did want to protect her.

After several minutes, Ali felt her sobs start to calm. She became aware that she was pressed against Jim's chest, her head resting on his heart. She felt Sarah's hand on the back of her head, gently stroking her hair. Something in her slowly softened, like cement that was being melted down. Still in Jim's embrace, she lifted her head enough to speak again.

"Sometimes I wonder if I should have died in that fire instead of my mom. I don't want to die, let me be clear on that. But Mom was the one who the townspeople loved. They only tolerated me because I was her daughter. No one would have missed me if I had died."

"Don't ever say that!" Sarah exclaimed angrily. Ali turned her head to the woman, surprised. Sarah hardly ever raised her voice.

"Your mother wanted to be sure you lived, or she wouldn't have made you go out first," Sarah continued. "If you had died and she had lived, she would have missed you as only a mother can miss her child. And there are two people in this room right now who would miss you more than words can say."

Ali was dismayed to find a bit of hurt in Sarah's eyes. "Ms. Sarah, you and Jim are two of my most precious people. But if I had died that night, neither of you would have even met me."

"Who cares?" Jim blurted out. "What does it matter if we'd have met you or not? You'd be gone. You'd be gone for good. How can you think that would be ok? It's not ok."

Ali stared at Jim. His blue eyes were shimmering with raw sincerity, almost overwhelming in their intensity. The sight caused a ripple of emotions inside of her: gratitude, fondness, slight awe, and an ache that she couldn't name. She hugged him again, hoping he would get the picture.

Jim returned the hug, understanding her well enough. After a few moments, though, his mind drifted back to one specific detail.

"You said the people in your town only tolerated you. They didn't like you, did they?" Ali shook her head mutely. "Why?"

Her gaze turned fearful again, although thankfully her eyes stayed dry.

"Ali?" Jim prodded.

Ali bit her lip. "Have…" she hesitated. "Have you ever heard of sirenials?"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 **So far I've done a lot of work developing the characters and their relationships with each other. I really want Ali to be her own person, not the kind of OC that you just tack onto a story; this chapter was about filling in some significant blanks about her. There'll be one more chapter like that, and then we'll be getting into the plot of the movie.**

 **Please review! :)**


	6. Hearing Voices

**The chapter's music is posted on my profile, as per usual. Read on! :)**

Chapter 6

Jim's brow furrowed. "Sirenials?" He shook his head. "Not ringing any bells."

"They're mentioned in a lot of sailor's tales, aren't they?" Sarah ventured.

"I guess this will take some extra explaining," Ali sighed. She pursed her lips in consideration. When she spoke again, her voice had the tone of a storyteller.

"There is an old planet out there somewhere, one with no recallable name. Now barren, it used to be overflowing with life. Apparently it was largely covered in water, deep seas that stretched for miles and miles. The people of the planet sailed ships on these bodies of water. Sailing in space was inconceivable for them." She shook her head at the baffling notion.

"Now, these people had plenty of stories about the seas. Some of the most common were stories of sirens. Sirens were non-human women who lived in the seas, usually in groups. They were always beautiful women, with equally beautiful voices. It was their allure that made them so dangerous: they could ensnare any man with their singing. If a ship strayed into their territory, they would weave their spell on the crew, luring them off the boat to a watery death.

Stories of sirens were largely regarded as just that, stories. And maybe they were mythical creatures. But as it happens, there are creatures that exist today with a very similar name."

"Sirenials," Jim concluded.

Ali nodded. "Sirenials are essentially the same as sirens: beautiful women with deadly voices. They are eternally young and can live for centuries. Their powers affect women as well as men, just not as strongly. They live in various areas of the galaxy and lure sailors off their ships. Once the sailors are beyond their ship's gravity force field, they drift into space, and the sirenials can do what they want with them."

"What _do_ they do with them?" Jim cut in, morbidly curious.

Ali grimaced. "Kill them, usually, although they often like to toy with the sailors first. However…" she paused. "In every group of sirenials, there is always at least one kind one. The kind ones still sing with their sisters; it's in their nature. However, many a time they will choose one sailor to spare, more often than not a man. They rescue their chosen sailor from space, returning them to their ship or taking them to a hospitable planet, if one is nearby."

All too often, the other sirenials shun their kind sister for her actions. The sailors, on the other hand, know how lucky they are to meet a kind sirenial, and may become fascinated with her. Between these two factors, relationships crop up between sirenial and sailor. The sirenial has children. If her child or children are female they inherit her enchanting voice, and the ability is passed down through generations.

"Beautiful voices…" Jim muttered, closing his eyes in thought. Something in his brain clicked, and his eyes shot open. "Ali?"

Ali smiled weakly. "My several times great-grandmother was a sirenial."

For the first time that night, Jim pulled away and held Ali at arm's length. "So you can control people with your singing?"

"No!" Panic flared in Ali's chest. "No. The power in my family was diluted as it passed through generations of humans." Her hands curled into fists. "Even if I could do that, I wouldn't. I'd never sing if my voice did something like that."

Jim glanced at his mother, whose eyes had softened. Then he turned back to Ali, whose knuckles had turned white from clenching.

This was Ali they were talking about. Ali, who took on extra work when his mom was having a bad day. Ali, who had a smile and a cup of tea ready whenever someone needed it. Ali, whose strength stemmed from compassion.

Jim sighed and drew close to her again. "I believe you."

"As do I," Sarah agreed.

Ali breathed out, and her hands unclenched. "Thank you. For the record, I would never use what power I do have on either of you."

"So, you're part sirenial," Sarah said gently. "What does that have to do with the people in your hometown?"

Ali gave a bitter smile. "It has everything to do with them. When my parents realized I had sirenial power, they brought my grandma over to help. The power comes from my mom's side of the family, but it sometimes skips generations. My grandma had it, but it had passed over my mom. I needed Grandma to teach me how to control the power.

Our town was a small place, and even information that was kept quiet could become gossip. When my Grandma came to stay, people got curious. When someone heard us training behind the restaurant, it became the talk of the town. I was only six when word got out. My power made no difference to my parents, but it made the people in town suspicious of me. People didn't want me playing with their kids, so I didn't really have friends who were my age."

"But your grandmother had sirenial abilities too," Sarah protested. "Why didn't the townspeople feel the same way about her?"

"They weren't worried about Grandma because she was old. Sirenials are always young women, and Grandma was way past that stage of life. I, on the other hand, would eventually grow into a young woman."

"What about your mom?" Jim added. "You said the people in town loved her."

"She didn't have the sirenial power."

"But she still had sirenial in her—"

"It didn't matter, "Ali interrupted him. "It was the ability they feared, not the heritage."

Sarah shook her head in disgust. "A bunch of people, afraid of one little girl."

Ali smiled that bitter smile again. It wasn't an expression that belonged on such a young face, Sarah reflected sadly. "Fear makes people do irrational things."

"They didn't hurt you, did they?" Jim asked uneasily.

"No, nothing like that. Mostly they just avoided me. It wasn't so bad for a while; I had my family. But," she swallowed. "It became a real issue later on. After the fire I had no home, and no possessions but the nightgown I'd had on that night. Grandma had passed away when I was nine, so I couldn't stay with her. None of my neighbors would take me in; the town really didn't know what to do with me."

Sarah's mouth hung open, her eyes narrowed. "You said you were eleven at the time?" Ali nodded. "You were _eleven_ , and no one did anything to help you?"

To her surprise, Ali smiled, a genuine smile this time. "Almost no one. There was a girl who I went to school with. Her name was Serena. She was nicer to me than most people; I think she was skeptical of the things adults said about me. Even so, I never expected her to do what she did."

"What did she do?" Jim pressed. He wanted to hear that there was something good in her otherwise heartbreaking story.

"She snuck me into her house. Just listen," she quickly added at the look on Jim's face. "The town put together a modest funeral for my mom, which I'm glad for. Serena approached me after the funeral and offered her condolences as well as an eleven-year-old can. Then she told me straight out that I could stay with her for a little while. She'd have to sneak me into her room after dark, since her parents would never agree to it, but she offered anyway."

Ali sighed. "It was a risky idea, I know. But I had been sleeping in the ruins of the restaurant for the past two days. I was still in shock, and I was desperate. So I agreed. That night I came to her house, and she let me in through her bedroom window.

I knew I couldn't stay for more than one night. Even if I left early in the morning and came back the next night, we'd likely both be caught. When I told Serena so, she wasn't surprised. Instead she started taking things out of her dresser: a coat, a dress, a pair of shoes, and a paper bag. She said that she didn't wear those clothes anymore and told me to take them, since I only had my nightgown. The bag was full of food, and was also for me. I couldn't believe it." Ali looked up, filled with wonder at the memory.

"Serena had a big bed, so there was room for both of us to sleep on it. I slept through the night—the nightmares hadn't started yet—, woke up early, and left while she was still asleep." Ali frowned. "I was so overwhelmed by everything that had happened, I didn't even think to thank her. I wish I had."

Sarah ran a soothing hand over Ali's head, combing her fingers through the blonde strands. "I'm sure she knew that you were grateful."

"Maybe." Ali shrugged. "Well, there's not much left to tell after that. I left town and spent the next year or so living on the streets. I learned not to be afraid of smaller fires, because they meant warmth and occasionally a chance to cook. I found hidden spots in buildings where I could sleep. Kinder people gave me their leftover food around restaurants. Being young had at least one advantage: people took pity on me. Shortly after turning twelve, I came to the Benbow Inn. The rest you know."

There was a minute of silence. Then Sarah spoke. "Thank you for telling your story, Ali. You can't imagine how honored we are that you trusted us with this. But I have to ask: are you worried that we might react badly to any of it?"

"I…"Ali shivered. "Yes."

"You don't need to be." Jim poked her in the ribs, making her flinch in surprise. "You're still our Ali; we just know more about you now."

Ali's body sagged in relief. "Thank you," she murmured.

Sarah nodded and stood up from the bed. "We can talk more tomorrow if you want. But right now I think you need to get back to sleep."

Part of Ali fervently agreed with Sarah. Telling her story had taken a lot out of her.

Another part of her was unsure. "What if I have another nightmare?" She felt a little childish asking, but quickly pushed the feeling away. She had reason to be afraid of these nightmares.

"Then I'll come in and wake you up." Jim had gotten to his feet as well. Now he placed his hand on top of Ali's. "We're here for you."

Ali looked at him for a long moment…and then turned her hand over so she could give his a squeeze. "Ok."

As Jim and Sarah left the room, taking the lantern with them, Ali laid back and covered herself with the blanket. Her mind was already drifting off, exhausted by such an intense release of information. She knew that it would catch up with her the next day. For now, though, she simply succumbed to the pull of sleep.

ooOoo

Sunlight filtered through the window of the modest bedroom, illuminating Ali's face. She groaned and raised a hand over her eyes, shielding them from the light as she drifted awake. Sitting up, she recalled what had happened just hours before.

She had told Jim and Sarah. She had told them her story, and they still accepted her. They still wanted her here. She couldn't remember her heart ever feeling so light.

Yawning, she leaned over to look at her clock. When she saw the time she gasped and shot out of bed.

"I overslept!" Ali frantically got dressed and pulled a brush through her hair, grabbing a hair tie as she ran out the door. She burst into the kitchen and found Sarah inside, tying an apron around her waist.

Sarah looked up. "Good morning, Ali."

"Ms. Sarah, I'm so sorry," Ali babbled. "I don't know how I ended up sleeping in—"

"Ali," Sarah interrupted. "Calm down. It's Sunday; we only serve brunch today."

"Oh." Ali grinned sheepishly. "Sorry."

"It's all right," chuckled Sarah, securing her apron with a final tug of the strings. "I know you usually get up early on Sundays anyway, but I thought it was better to let you sleep in today. How…how are you feeling?" She asked cautiously.

Ali smiled. "Better. Thank you." They both knew the thank you wasn't just about Sarah's question.

Sarah returned the smile. "Glad to hear it." Her voice turned more businesslike. "Now, we have customers to prepare for. Let's get started."

"Yes, Ms. Sarah." Ali donned her own apron and began to set out cooking tools. She could see Jim out the back window, chopping firewood.

Even as her body worked on autopilot, her mind wandered back to the past night. Now, with the light of day and a clearer state of mind, she could get a more detailed look at the night's events.

 _Stars above, I really told them_ everything. _The raid, the townspeople, the fire…oh._ Her thoughts stuttered to a halt, recalling the position she'd ended up in during that part of the story. Holding tightly onto Jim, his arms just as tight around her. Pressed so close to him…Ali's face grew hot.

 _You were less than sensible at the time_ , a voice in her head reminded her. _And you seriously needed someone to comfort you. He offered, and you accepted._

He _had_ offered comfort. Ali had never seen him get so close with someone before, let alone for so long. He had done it this time, though. He had done it to comfort her.

But still…her _face_ had been _pressed into his chest!_ Ali let her hair fall forward to cover said face. She was sure she looked like a beetroot by now, and she didn't want the others to see.

Hours passed, and before Ali knew it she was collecting dishes from the last table. She gave the dishes a quick wash and then re-entered the dining room, where Jim and Sarah were already setting out a late lunch.

Ali huffed as she untied her apron. "Well, that was an interesting shift. I ended up cooking this one customer's order, and then re-cooking it when he complained it was underdone. And then again when it was apparently overdone." She took a seat. "I'm used to picky customers, but that is just ridiculous."

Jim grinned. "That's what you get for working as a cook."

"At least I _can_ cook," she retorted. "I'm not hopeless, like some people I know."

"I'm not that bad!"

"When I asked you to boil water, you burned it. Twice," she deadpanned.

"There's more to cooking than just water."

"Not that you would know."

"All right, settle down." Sarah joined the two teenagers at the table. "Jim, there was something we wanted to talk to Ali about. Remember?"

"Oh. Right." Jim shut his mouth.

"What is it?" Ali asked curiously.

Sarah cleared her throat. "Ali, we want to thank you for all you told us last night. We're so hugely glad that you trusted us enough to share what you did. But," she added, "We have a few questions that we need you to answer."

"That's an…interesting way to start a conversation," Ali said, unconsciously leaning back a little.

Sarah looked dismayed. "I didn't mean to scare you. We just want to know a bit about the power your voice has."

"Oh." Ali relaxed. "Ok. What do you want to know?"

"First off, what exactly can your voice do?"

Ali thought for a moment. "As a general rule, the power works with positive emotions. You could say it has two levels." Ali raised one finger. "The first level is the lower level. At the lower level, I can use my voice to promote a calmer atmosphere, which can put people in a better mood. It's pretty low-key; more like a nudge in the right direction than an active influence."

Sarah raised an eyebrow, remembering Ali's habit of humming while she served food. "I don't suppose you've done any nudging around the inn, have you?"

Ali bit her lip. "It's good for dealing with difficult customers," she mumbled.

"What about the second level?" Jim prodded.

"The second level is more complicated," Ali replied. "At that level, I can actively project emotions onto the people around me."

"You mean you're controlling their emotions?" Jim asked, looking unsettled.

"No!" Ali exclaimed. "I can't do that, and I wouldn't want to." She lowered her voice. "It's more like…I enhance their own positive emotions, and then add a little extra. The effect is stronger if I'm in a good mood."

"Why is that?" Sarah asked.

"My voice naturally projects and encourages positive emotions on that level, no matter how I'm feeling. But if I'm in a good mood, I can project my good feelings as well."

"So you can't put people in a bad mood with your singing?"

"Not if there's power in it, no."

"How does that work?" Jim jumped in again. "Can you turn it on and off?"

"You make me sound like a light switch," Ali laughed. "But you're not far from the truth. Control was the first thing I learned about my power. The lower level effect doesn't happen unless I will it."

"What about the higher level?"

"Almost the same. I'd have to be feeling a _very_ strong dose of emotion for the higher level to happen without my intent."

"In that case, we just have one thing left to ask." Sarah brushed a lock of hair off her face. "We want to hear you sing at the higher level."

"What?" Ali's mouth hung open. "But, I told you both I'd never use it on you."

"We're _asking you_ to use it right now. Ali, I think you should use the higher level very selectively. You say it wouldn't happen on its own unless you're feeling very strong emotions. But emotions are unpredictable. You need a backup plan. If there's any chance of something happening, we want to know the signs so we can help you control it."

Ali turned to Jim. "Do you agree on this one? Sirenial power is designed to have a stronger effect on males."

Jim raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, I agree. Just do it, Ali."

Ali stood up and stepped back so she had some breathing room. "All right." _Guess they'll want it at full power._ She closed her eyes and searched for music that meant something to her, deciding on an old song her mom had loved.

"Days of burning sun

Watch the colors run

Into pools that catch the eye

Disappear as you pass by

You're my summer rain

You're my summer rain

And I know that I'll see you again

And I know that I'll see you again"

The effects of the music kicked in before Ali finished the first verse. Both Jim and Sarah were smiling in their chairs, eyes shining at the sudden good mood coursing through them.

Jim had never felt anything quite like it. His normal brand of happiness felt amplified, and connected to a more powerful joy. Ali's joy, he realized.

"Hear my prayer, answer my call

Breathe life into my soul

I am waiting for you to show

Come and hold me so

You're my summer rain

You're my summer rain

And I know that I'll see you again

And I know that I'll see you again"

Ali's heart swelled as the bridge flowed off her lips. That swell carried Jim into something like euphoria, as he stared at his blonde friend.

"Dreams of a day with you

Fade away!

You're my summer rain"

Jim stopped following the words after that, just letting the tune move through him. He swore he could hear instruments in the background.

A minute later, Ali ended the song. She stared at her audience nervously as the effects dissipated, wondering what they would say.

Jim was the first to speak. " _That_ is not something I'm likely to forget."

"I second that," Sarah agreed, still a little dazed. "Ali, I think I'm going to amend my earlier statement about you rarely using that level."

"How so?"

"If, say, Jim or I ask for it between business hours, _use it_. I feel like I've just been to the spa!"

Ali could only nod in response; she was laughing too hard to manage anything more.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 **There you have it; Ali's past unveiled! The sirenial part of her past may come into play again as the story progresses. From the next chapter on, the story will largely follow the plot of the movie, with a few scenes of my own making thrown in ;).**

 **Please review! Reviews=happy writer=inspiration :D**


	7. The Cost of Change

**Check my profile for this chapter's music!**

Chapter 7

Ali handed another tray of food out to a frazzled-looking Sarah, who hurried to dish it out to customers. Grabbing another list of orders, she started pulling the needed ingredients out of the fridge. As her hands worked almost reflexively, she let out a sigh.

She hated busy days like this. There were always a few customers who just had to be difficult. Today's worst case was old Mrs. Dunwoody; Ali could hear her shrill, demanding voice even over the noise of the kitchen. Between customers like her and the extra pressure to work fast, tempers were short among all the staff.

Sadly, they needed days like this. The Benbow had lately fallen on hard times, and money was scarce. One of their waitresses had quit only a week ago, and Sarah had had to take over her shifts. Ali worried about Sarah, and did what she could to make things easier for the woman.

 _Unpleasant or no, days like this get the bills paid faster._ The doors swung open, and Ali looked up to see Jim striding in.

"Hey Ali, I really need a break. Can you cover for me while I go surfing? I won't be gone long, I promise."

"Jim, I don't think I can really—"

"Thanks!" He dashed out the back door, letting it swing shut behind him.

Ali bit back a growl of frustration. She hated when he just ran out like that. And did he have to do it on a day like this? She had quite enough to manage without handling Jim's duties as well. _We're both eighteen now. So why am I the only one acting like it?_

She turned to another of the cooks, a slender man who was using three of his six arms on pans full of sauces. "Would you mind helping me watch my stove? Just enough to let me know if I need to get back to it?" she pleaded. "I need to do a little extra work right now."

He grunted his assent, and she thanked him before walking into the dining room. Thank goodness she was on good terms with the kitchen employees. Pasting a smile onto her face, she started clearing tables, carrying the dishes to the kitchen sink. She washed plates and utensils—the job _Jim_ was supposed to be doing—with quick, efficient strokes, and checked the food she was cooking after each load was clean. A temporary lull in business allowed her to finish the food and get more tables cleared. Once each table was empty, she took a damp rag to the tabletop, wiping off stray bits of food.

It was during this activity that she moved within earshot of Dr. Delbert Doppler. The canine man was sitting by the window, his usual order in front of him. He spotted her and smiled.

"Hello Ali. How are you?"

"Not bad. Pretty busy day today, but…" Ali shrugged her shoulders as if to say, _what can you do?_ "How are you doing?"

"I'm well, thank you." Delbert answered. As he lifted a spoonful of food to his mouth, a little amphibian girl peeked over the table. Ali watched as he awkwardly attempted to shoo her away, and giggled when the girl snatched the food out of his spoon with a snap of her tongue.

"Oh, they're so adorable at that age!" Sarah cooed, watching the girl skip away.

"Oh yes, deplorable…ah, adorable, hmm," Delbert replied, grimacing. "Speaking of which, how's Jim doing?"

"Much better," Sarah said. "I know he had some rough spots earlier this year, but I really think he's starting to turn a corner."

It was at that moment that Jim kept his promise. He arrived at the front door, back only a few minutes after his departure. The problem? He brought friends.

Sarah dropped the dishes she was holding at the sight of Jim standing between two robo-cops. "Jim!"

"Ooh, wrong turn," Delbert muttered.

"Ok, thanks for the lift guys." Jim brushed one of the cops' hands off his shoulder, trying to play it cool.

The cop grabbed him again. "Not so fast."

"We apprehended your son operating a solar vehicle in a restricted area," the other cop told Sarah in its mechanical voice. "Moving violation 9-0-4, section fifteen, paragraph…um…"

"Six?" Jim offered.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

"Jim!" Sarah said angrily.

"As you are aware, ma'am, this constitutes a violation of his probation."

"Yes, yes. No, I understand," said Sarah nervously. "But, um, could we just…"

"Pardon me," Delbert cut in. He came to stand in front of the cops. "Officers, if I might interject here. I am the noted astrophysicist Dr. Delbert Doppler; perhaps you've heard of me." The only response was a blank stare. "No? Uh, I have a clipping…"

"Are you the boy's father?" one cop interrupted.

"Oh, no. No, no," Sarah said quickly. "He's just an old friend of the family."

"Back off, sir!" The cops snarled as one, abruptly snapping forward into Delbert's face.

"Thank you, Delbert, I will take it from here," Sarah hinted. Delbert took the hint and moved away.

"Due to repeated violations of statute 15C, we have impounded his vehicle," the cop continued. "Any more slip-ups will result in a one-way ticket to juvenile hall."

"Kiddie hoosegow," the other cop said.

"The slammo."

"Thank you officers," Sarah replied. "It _won't happen again_." Her last words were directed right at Jim.

"We see his type all the time, ma'am," one cop stated.

"Wrong choices," the other said.

"Dead-enders."

"Losers."

Ali saw Jim's expression go dark and scowled. She wanted to snap right back at the officers, but she knew that could only end badly.

"You take care now." The cop tipped his hat with abrupt pleasantness.

"Let's motor." The two turned and wheeled out as though nothing had happened, shutting the door behind them.

The dining room was completely silent. Ali turned to find every customer gaping at Jim and Sarah. Figuring she was also in the customers' line of sight, she shot them a pointed glare. They saw her glare and quickly went back to their conversations.

Ali grabbed a broom and started sweeping up the broken plates on the floor, seeing Sarah and Jim talk but unable to hear them. Jim was placing dirty dishes into a plastic bin, refusing to look at his mother. Ali edged slowly into hearing range.

"Jim, I just don't want to see you throw away your entire future," Sarah said, a pleading note in her voice.

"Yeah, what future?" Jim said bitterly, backing into the kitchen door and slipping inside.

Ali dumped the shards of porcelain into the trash, glancing over at Sarah. The woman looked like she might cry, if she weren't too tired for it. Sadness flashed through Ali, and she turned to follow Jim.

Her friend was standing in front of the sink, holding the bin of dirty dishes. He set it down and let his arms drop to his sides, glaring at the bin's contents.

Ali stepped into his line of sight. "Those cops really need to work on their standup routine, huh?" she said, forcing a smile.

Jim only grunted, eyes still on the bin. Ali let her smile drop and turned to her cutting board. A soft tune slipped from her lips, slow and melancholy in keeping with her mood.

"Can you just _stop_ with the music for two seconds?" Jim snapped.

Ali froze. Jim had never said that to her before. Not seriously, at least. She lowered her head, feeling stung. "Okay," she murmured.

Jim glanced at her and felt guilt prick him. He hadn't meant to sound so harsh. He was just angry. He didn't say anything more, though, just turned on the faucet and started on the dishes.

Ali worked in silence for the rest of the day, speaking only to inform Sarah when she had orders ready. She knew to take Jim's words with a grain of salt when he was upset, but his comment lingered like a thorn under her skin. As she finished the last order of the day, she saw him slip out the back door. She waited a minute to collect herself and then followed after him. She knew exactly where she'd find him.

ooOoo

Jim sat on the inn's lower roof, next to a skylight, tossing pebbles and watching them bounce to the ground. His stormy expression matched the clouds overhead.

A noise made him turn to his left. "What are you doing here?"

Ali walked forward and sat down next to him. "I wanted a view of the sky, and some company while I looked at it."

Jim raised a skeptical eyebrow but didn't reply. The two of them sat side by side, not saying a word. After a minute Ali broke the silence.

"Jim," she hesitated, wondering how to word this right. "I know things have been hard for you lately." And it was true. Most everyone in town knew that Jim's father had walked out on him and his mother. When he first got in trouble with the police, they were quick to label him as a problem child. Even the teachers at the high school saw him as a lost cause, regarding him with false pity when he did badly in class but making no effort to help. It was enough to make Ali want to slap them.

"I know it's been hard for you," Ali continued. "And I know you're trying to find some escape. But the way you've been doing it…it's awful hard on your mom."

As if on cue, Delbert and Sarah's voices sounded through the skylight. "I really don't know how you manage it, Sarah. Trying to run a business while raising a felon like…felon…fellow…fellow like Jim."

"Managing? I'm at the end of my rope." Sarah replied wearily.

Jim frowned and looked at his shoes. "Yeah, I know. She's disappointed in me."

"You know that's not what I meant. She loves you, Jim. She loves you, and she wants the best for you."

"Right, because I'm really likely to get the best."

Ali's temper flared. She got up and moved to stand right in front of Jim. "You know what? I'm trying to be kind about this, but obviously that's not working. So here it is. You skip out on work all the time, leaving me to pick up the slack even if it's more than I can handle. You're distant and insensitive with your mom, even though what she needs most right now is support. You get in trouble with the cops by pulling stunts that could as easily be done in legal spaces. All in all, you're disrespecting the work that your mom and I put into keeping the inn running, and all the effort your mom has put into giving you a decent chance in life. And it's not right!"

Ali had been glaring at him, as what was left of her day's patience cracked in a surge of frustration. Now, though, she deflated. "I don't know what's gotten into you, Jim." She stepped back a few paces. "You weren't always like this."

Jim finally raised his head and looked at her, his expression holding something like guilt. "I don't mean to hurt anyone. I just—"

He stopped as a screeching sound filled the air. Ali looked up and gasped when a ship flew right past them, barely missing the roof and spewing smoke. To her right, Jim gaped, wondering if he was seeing right. The ship crashed onto the end of the dock, metal squealing and parts breaking at the impact.

Jim slid off the roof and ran down the dock, Ali hot on his heels. When he reached the ship, he knocked hard on the window, asking in a shout if whoever was inside was all right. Ali peered over his shoulder, trying to get a look inside.

Both teenagers stumbled back when a clawed hand hit the window. The window burst open in a rush of smoke, and an old man all but fell out, coughing and wheezing. He wore a black cloak and sailor's cap, and held a small chest protectively.

The man stood and wrapped the cloak tighter around his body. With one hand he grabbed Jim by the shirt, pulling him closer. "He's a'comin. Can you hear 'im? Those gears and gyros clicking and whirling like the devil himself?" With every word he stretched his neck further out of his shell, then released Jim in another round of coughs.

"Uh…hit your head there pretty hard, didn't you?" Jim said in confusion.

"He's after me chest," the man continued, cradling said object close. "That fiendish cyborg and his band of cutthroats." He hoisted the chest onto one shoulder. "But they'll have to pry it from old Billy Bones' cold, dead fingers 'afore I…" More coughs racked him, so violent it sounded like he was choking. Ali's eyes widened, and she and Jim rushed to help him up. Ali supported the side on which he held the chest, while Jim got the man's other arm around his shoulders. "Thank ye to ye, lad, and ye too, miss," the man rasped.

"Mom's gonna love this," Jim said, voice thick with sarcasm.

Ali groaned. After all that had happened earlier, this would be the chokecherry on top of Ms. Sarah's day.

The three started the awkward trek up to the inn, and the sky decided it was the perfect time to start raining, releasing a heavy downpour. Within moments they were drenched. As they neared the entrance, Ali lamented the fact that her hands were full. It would make getting inside that much harder. Luckily—or maybe not so luckily—Delbert solved that problem, opening the door just as they reached it.

Sarah released a thunderous gasp. "James Pleiades Hawkins!"

"Mom, he's hurt…bad!" Jim replied in explanation. As he and Ali moved inside, the old man collapsed to the floor. At his request, Jim pushed the chest closer to him. The man opened the chest with a quick press of buttons and lifted out a small, round bundle. He handed Jim the bundle and pulled him in close again. Ali leaned forward to hear his words.

"The cyborg! Beware…the cyborg!" The man whispered. A last breath rattled out of him, and he sank to the floor, no longer moving. Ali bent closer and checked his pulse. There was nothing.

"Oh…" Sarah breathed. Ali stared at the body in horror, but a moment later, a bright light made her spin around. The light was coming from outside, growing brighter every moment as another ship appeared. But this one wasn't crashing. It landed neatly outside the inn, engines whirring.

Jim snuck to the window, opening the shutters just a crack and peering outside. Whatever he saw made his face flare with fear. "Quick, we gotta go!" He pulled Ali and his mom toward the stairs. As they moved, Ali saw something fall from Sarah's neck and land at the foot of the staircase. She turned around and snatched it up before dashing up the stairs.

Laser fire blasted through the door, barely missing Delbert. "I believe I am with Jim on this one!" He shouted, hurrying after them.

As they ran, Ali detected the smell of smoke wafting up the stairs. Her breath caught in her throat. _They've set the place on fire!_

Ali wasn't sure where they were going, but Delbert seemed to have an idea. He threw open a large window, leaning precariously over the sill. His next words weren't what she expected. "Delilah! Stay! Don't move!" An odd grunting noise issued from outside.

Delbert helped a panicking Sarah onto the windowsill. "Don't worry Sarah, I'm an expert in the laws of physical science. On the count of three: one…"

"Three!" Jim pushed the two out before Delbert could finish. He then grabbed Ali's arm, intending to jump out with her. To his surprise, Ali gripped his own arm and got behind him.

 _I am not leaving anyone behind this time!_ Ali thought fiercely. She propelled Jim out the window first before following after him.

The group of four landed in Delbert's buggy, which was sadly not designed to fit four people. Ali ended up sprawled over Jim and Sarah's laps, clinging to the side of the vehicle for dear life as they sped away. Jim wrapped an arm around Ali's waist to secure her.

Sarah looked back at the inn she had worked in her entire life, watching as flames engulfed it. After a minute, she slumped against the seat of the buggy, her expression one of shock and despair. Ali looked helplessly at Jim, who only stared back, as lost as she was.

Then she looked at the bundle in Jim's hand. "What is that?" She asked, gesturing to the object. Jim untied the string, and the fabric fell away to reveal a metal sphere.

The two teenagers stared at the sphere. It was made of a bronze-like material, and was engraved with interlocking lines and circles. Neither of them had ever seen anything like it.

Afraid that they were being followed, Ali kept her guard up for the rest of the ride. Her worries went unfounded, though, as they reached Delbert's home without trouble.

As it turned out, Delbert's home was actually a mansion, complete with an observatory on one end. As the group walked through the place, Ali whispered a question to Delbert. He gave her a brief set of directions, and she slipped away from the others. Once she found the kitchen, she brewed a quick batch of tea, settling the kettle and several teacups on a tray.

She found the others in the observatory. Sarah was sitting by the fireplace, slumped in an armchair. Ali set the tray down and turned to Delbert. "Any word about the inn?"

Delbert shook his head sadly. "I just spoke with the constabulary. Those blaggard pirates have fled without a trace." He knelt at Sarah's side. "I'm sorry, Sarah. I'm afraid the old Benbow Inn has burned to the ground."

Ali felt the air leave her lungs, the news slamming into her like a physical weight. Another home gone up in flames. First it was her childhood home, and now it was the Benbow. Was every place she stayed in destined to go up in flames?

As she watched Jim place a blanket around his mother's shoulders, the hurt hit her again. Ali had lived at the inn for six years, but Jim had lived there his entire life. And Sarah…

The inn had essentially been an heirloom in Sarah's family. Sarah had inherited it, and had worked her fingers to the bone to keep it afloat. It had been her livelihood, her life's work, and her home. Now all of that was gone.

"Certainly a lot of trouble over that odd little sphere," Delbert noted, glancing at the table it was balanced on. He continued to make observations, apparently trying to distract Sarah from her current circumstances. Jim wandered over and picked up the sphere, studying the pattern more closely. Ali walked toward him, inwardly agreeing with Delbert. Why all the fuss over the thing?

As she reached Jim's side, he started fiddling with the sphere, pressing down on the circles like they were buttons. Eventually one of them clicked inwards, making all the circles retreat inwards with a hiss. Jim's eyes widened, and he twisted one section of the sphere, lining up the circles in a different pattern. Ali spotted another section and reached out, twisting it with her right hand.

In the meanwhile, Delbert was still talking. "It could take years to unlock its secrets—hey!" Jim completed a fourth twist, and green light shot out of the sphere, forming a glowing grid that filled the entire observatory. Sparks of light came together, becoming planets, nebulas, stars, and more. Ali turned her head in all directions, trying to take it all in.

"It's a map!" Delbert gasped. "Wait, wait, wait, this is us! The planet Montressor!" He brushed the image with one finger, and a flash of light made them all start. The surrounding map started spinning, moving like a ship on a pre-planned course. "That's the Magellanic Cloud! Whoops!" Delbert dodged out of the way of a small moon. "And there's the Coral Galaxy!"

He continued to name various places, some of which Ali had never heard of. Ali herself dodged left and right to avoid various images, awed at the detail around her. Jim, on the other hand, just stood in one spot, looking bemused as a galaxy hit him in the chest and reformed behind him.

"Wait, what's this, what's this?" Delbert asked in wonderment. Ali turned to see what had him so excited, and saw a planet with two rings circling it. "Why, it's, its…"

"Treasure Planet," Jim finished. Ali's jaw dropped. How many times had her father told her the story of the pirate Captain Flint, with his hoard of treasure on a forgotten planet?

"No!" Delbert said in disbelief.

"That's Treasure Planet!" Jim repeated, sounding more excited than he had in months.

"Flint's trove? The loot of a thousand worlds?" Delbert babbled. "Do you know what this means?"

"It means all that treasure is only a boat ride away!"

"Whoever brings it back would hold an eternal place atop the pantheon of explorers!" Delbert exclaimed triumphantly. "He'd be able to experience…" at that moment the green light flashed back into the sphere, and Delbert's voice went up an octave. "Oooh what just happened?"

"Mom, this is it," Jim said. "This is the answer to all our problems!"

"Jim, there is absolutely no way—"

"Don't you remember? All those stories?"

"That's all they were! Stories!"

"Ms. Sarah," Ali cut in. "Stories don't just come out of nowhere. My father told me over and over about Treasure Planet. With all the treasure there, we could rebuild the inn a hundred times over."

"This…this is just…" Sarah sputtered. "Delbert? Would you please explain how ridiculous this is?"

"It's totally preposterous! Traversing the entire galaxy alone." Sarah crossed her arms and smiled in satisfaction. "That's why I'm going with you."

"Delbert!" Sarah cried in dismay.

Delbert grabbed a bag and started running around the room, muttering plans and throwing items into the bag as though he was going to leave that night.

"You're not serious," Sarah protested.

Delbert slid down an enormous stack of books, bag still in hand. "All my life I've been waiting for an opportunity like this, and now here it is, screaming, 'Go Delbert! Go Delbert!'" He did a little happy dance that made Ali snicker.

"Okay, okay, you're _both_ grounded," exclaimed Sarah, glaring at Delbert and Jim in turn. Delbert clasped his hands behind his back, scuffing his shoe on the floor like a scolded child.

"Mom, look," said Jim, making them all turn to look at him. "I know that I keep messing everything up, and I know…that I let you down. But this is my chance to make it up to you! I'm gonna set things right."

"Sarah?" Delbert interjected. "If I may." He took her aside and spoke to her in hushed tones.

Finally Sarah turned to face her son again. "Jim, I don't want to lose you."

Jim clasped his mother's hand in both of his. "Mom…you won't. I'll make you proud."

Ali studied Jim from where she stood. Her friend's face was open and sincere, and his voice was steady with resolve. He really wanted to make things right. A bit of hope stirred in her chest. Maybe _this_ was the turning point for Jim. _And maybe_ …she smiled as the hope grew stronger. _Maybe we can really pull this off._

Her gaze strayed back to Sarah, who had a tentative but loving smile on her face as she looked at Jim. With a start, Ali remembered the object she had grabbed earlier. She slipped one hand into the pocket of her dress and stepped forward. "Um, Ms. Sarah?" Sarah, Jim and Delbert all turned to look at her. She blushed, but kept moving until she was face to face with Sarah. She brought her hand out of her pocket, curled around something small. "You dropped this when we were at the inn." She uncurled her hand and extended it to Sarah. "I figured I should give it back."

Sarah stared at the familiar object in front of her. It was a small oval locket, attached to a simple chain. She carefully took it from Ali. When she opened it, a hologram shot out, flashing through several images of a younger Jim.

She closed the locket and looked at Ali. For several seconds, the two of them shared a very meaningful look. Then Sarah stepped forward and hugged Ali. " _Thank you_ , Ali." She whispered. "Just call me Sarah from now on, ok?"

Ali smiled. "Ok."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 **Please review!**


	8. Begin With Suspicion

**See my profile for this chapter's music!**

Chapter 8

Ali was disoriented when she woke up the next morning. She couldn't remember her bed being so big or having so many pillows. She turned onto her back and opened her eyes, expecting to see the warm wooden ceiling of her room. Instead, she was greeted with an unfamiliar, cream-colored ceiling.

That's right. She was in a guest room in Delbert's mansion. She didn't have her own room anymore. It was gone, along with the rest of the inn.

"But we're going to change that," she murmured to herself, trying to push the pain away in favor of determination.

Well, as long as she was awake, she might as well get up. She slipped into the adjoining bathroom to tidy up a bit, making a face when she saw her reflection. When she was done, she headed to the one place where she knew she could be productive right now.

Slipping through the polished steel doors of the kitchen, she quickly became acquainted with the resident cook. He was friendly and even-tempered, and allowed Ali to use his kitchen after only a minimal amount of fuss.

Ali had something specific in mind for that morning. She brewed four mugs of her own tea blend and set them on a tray, beside four plates of steaming hot cinnamon toast. Balancing the tray in both hands, she headed for the observatory, guessing the others would be there.

She was right. Jim was sitting in a chair by the window, and immediately perked up at the sight of the cinnamon toast. Sarah was in last night's armchair, and managed a weak smile as Ali passed her a mug. Delbert was rifling through a bookcase, and didn't notice Ali or the food until she held the plate under his nose.

Once everyone had eaten, Delbert began laying out plans. "All right, we've got a lot to do before the voyage. We need to commission a ship, find a captain and crew, procure supplies—"

"Delbert," Ali interrupted. "What about clothes?" She gestured to the dress she wore, the only one she had left.

"Oh dear, you're right. Why didn't I think of that?" Delbert said guiltily. "Thank you, Ali. Sarah, why don't you go into town with Jim and Ali and get yourselves some new clothes? I'll cover the costs."

"Delbert," Sarah protested. "I can't let you—"

"Yes, you can," he replied firmly. "The three of you have given me the chance of a lifetime. What's a bit of clothing compared to that?"

Eventually Sarah gave in, and she, Jim and Ali made the trek into town. At the tailor's shop, Sarah ordered her usual dresses, shifts, and an apron. Jim was fitted for pants, shirts, and a new jacket, and insisted the jacket be the same style as his old one. Ali took a different approach, requesting dresses that hung above the knee with leggings to go underneath. She wouldn't be much use on a ship clambering around in a long dress.

A few more stops had them ordering new shoes and picking up fresh food to cook with. Delbert lived alone but for the few staff he hired to keep the mansion clean. He couldn't possibly have enough food for three more guests. Besides, Ali was used to spending her days working. If she let Delbert's chef cook all the meals, she would have nothing to do and would feel guilty besides.

The trio returned to the mansion in the late afternoon, grateful that they could finally set down their groceries. Sarah went to have a word with Delbert—probably to add a little common sense to his planning—leaving Jim and Ali alone in the front room. Ali sat down on a couch near a set of stairs, sighing as she took her weight off her feet.

Jim sat next to her. There was something he had wanted to ask her all day, but as long as his mom was around he couldn't do so. "Hey Ali? What was that with you and Mom last night? I mean, it's great that you saved her locket; but there's something else to it, isn't there?"

Ali sighed. "You know, Jim, after I lost my mom, I wished that I could have kept something to remember her by. I have my memories, but a physical reminder of her would have been something else. Your mom has a similar situation."

Jim stared at her, bewildered. "What are you talking about?"

"She's afraid she's going to lose you, Jim. Now, you and I both know that's not going to happen. You're too damn stubborn to die." She sent him a teasing grin, and then became serious again. "Either way, though, your mom is going to worry. But with that locket, she'll have some bit of you to hold onto while you're gone."

For several seconds, Jim couldn't think how to respond to that. Then he let out a laugh, although there was gratitude in his eyes. "You and your altruism."

Ali shrugged. "I just get what it's like not to have a memento."

Jim nodded, placing his hand on top of hers. "I know."

ooOoo

As the weeks passed, the mansion's occupants worked to get everything they needed for the voyage. Jim and Ali knew nothing about finding a good captain or crew, and frankly couldn't care less. Ali was looking forward to seeing the ship they'd be on, but again had no idea how to handle the matter. Thus, they tackled the goal they could handle: buying and storing provisions. Well, they could handle it with a few exceptions. Ali caught Jim in the storage space several times, trying to sneak out food for himself. While his antics were unhelpful, Ali could never resist laughing at her friend's appetite.

Finally their departure day rolled around. With their belongings each packed into a small backpack, Jim and Ali said their goodbyes to Sarah and took off with Delbert to the Montressor Spaceport.

Ali grinned as she walked through the bustling city. There were people everywhere, shouting and conversing and going about their day. Her father had taken her to the port a few times when she was younger, and the air of constant activity and vitality was the same as ever.

Jim seemed to be of the same mind. Maybe more so, since this was his first time there. He and Ali shared a laugh as a two-headed saleswoman pushed Delbert into buying a ridiculous looking space suit. His eyes drank in the scenery, and he stopped to ask several locals for directions.

He and Ali came to an abrupt stop as they spotted a sleek, polished-looking ship, making Delbert bump into them. "Oh! Jim, Ali, this is our ship! The R.L.S. Legacy."

"Wow," Ali breathed, speeding up for a closer look. Jim matched her pace and then ran ahead. "No fair!" Ali laughed.

They reached the gangplank, and Jim went up first, grinning as he looked around. Unfortunately, he was too busy looking up into the rigging to watch where he was going, and bumped into a member of the crew. Ali wasn't sure what else to call the creature; it was blubbery with a series of tubes sticking out of its body, and several darker tubes on its face that served as a mouth. As Jim tried to apologize, it let out a series of unpleasant noises and brandished four arm-like tubes curled into fists.

Delbert stepped forward. "Allow me to handle this." He screwed up his face and made the same type of noises back to the creature.

Whatever he had said, the thing seemed happy enough with it and let them be. "I'm fluent in Flatula," he told the two teenagers smugly. "Took two years of it in high school."

"Flatula…cool." Jim grinned, impressed in spite of himself. Ali shook her head, chuckling, as the two of them moved further onto the ship.

"Good morning, Captain," Delbert greeted a man in a red coat and tricorn hat. The sailor was tall and bulky, with skin that seemed to be made of stone. "Everything ship shape?"

"Ship shape it is, sir," the stone man replied in a deep voice. "But I'm not the captain. The captain's aloft." He gestured upwards.

The trio watched as a feline woman raced through the rigging, dashing across masts and somersaulting through the air, finally landing on the deck with…well…feline grace.

"Mr. Arrow," she addressed the stone man severely. "I have checked this miserable ship from stem to stern and as usual…" her voice abruptly softened, "it's spot on. Can you get nothing wrong?"

"You flatter me, Captain," Mr. Arrow replied with a tip of his hat.

The captain turned to face Delbert and her expression grew amused. "Ah, Dr. Delbert Doppler, I presume."

"Uh, yes, I…" Delbert fumbled for words, and the captain misunderstood, though it seemed rather intentional to Ali. She knocked on the helmet of Delbert's space suit and raised her voice, smirking slightly. "Hello? Can you hear me?"

"Of course I can, stop that banging!" Delbert protested, but the captain went on.

"If I may, doctor, this works so much better when it's right way up and plugged in." She twisted knobs and pulled plugs on the suit, making Delbert cry out in indignation. Ali couldn't hold back the laughter that bubbled out of her at the captain's antics.

Delbert twisted the suit's helmet off his head and glowered at the captain. "If you don't mind, I can manage my own plugging!" He shot a look at Ali, who tried to collect herself, only to start again louder than before when Jim stepped on her foot.

Unfazed, the feline woman shook Delbert's hand. "I'm Captain Amelia, late of a few run-ins with the Protean Armada. Nasty business, but I won't bore you with my scars." Captain Amelia spoke rapidly, and Ali had to listen intently to keep up with her words. "You've met my first officer, Mr. Arrow. Sterling, tough, dependable, honest, brave and true."

"Please, captain," Mr. Arrow said with an embarrassed smile.

"Oh, shut up, Arrow, you know I don't mean a word of it." Apparently this woman had a lot to say and meant every bit of it, until she denied it all.

Delbert cleared his throat. "I hate to interrupt this lovely banter," he said, not sounding regretful at all. "But may I introduce to you Jim Hawkins and Alianne Wood. These two, you see, are the ones who found the treasure—"

He was abruptly cut off as the captain clamped a hand around his jaw, hindering his ability to speak. "Doctor, please." She glanced at a few sailors who had stopped within earshot. "I'd like a word with you in my stateroom," she finished, releasing Delbert's jaw.

Once in the privacy of the stateroom, Captain Amelia proceeded to thoroughly chew Delbert out. "Doctor…to mewl and blabber about a treasure map in front of this particular crew demonstrates a level of ineptitude that borders on the imbecilic. And I mean that in a very caring way," she added with a sarcastic smile. Ignoring Delbert's protests, she requested to see the map. Jim slipped it out of his pocket and tossed it to her.

She caught it in one efficient flick of her hand, and proceeded to store it in one of the cupboards. "Mr. Hawkins, Miss Wood, in the future you will address me as captain or ma'am. Is that clear?"

"Yes ma'am," Ali replied easily. But when she heard Jim scoff softly, she knew he was going to be difficult.

"Mr. Hawkins?" The captain repeated, with more force.

Taking a leaf from Jim's book, Ali stepped on his foot, raising her eyebrows. He scowled at her but then answered grudgingly, "Yes, ma'am."

"That'll do." The captain locked the cupboard where she had put the map and placed the key in her pocket. "Gentleman, ladies, this map must be kept under lock and key when not in use. And doctor, again, with the greatest possible respect: zip your howling screamer."

The captain took a seat and continued to speak before Delbert had gotten five words out. "Let me make this as…monosyllabic as possible. I don't much care for this crew you hired. They're…how did I describe them, Arrow? I said something rather good this morning before coffee."

"A ludicrous parcel of driveling galoots, ma'am," Arrow replied, not missing a beat.

"There you go," the captain said to Delbert. "Poetry."

Delbert swelled with indignation. "Now see here…"

"Doctor, I'd love to chat. Tea, cake, the whole shebang, but I have a ship to launch and you've got your outfit to buff up." She turned to Mr. Arrow. "Mr. Arrow, please escort these two neophytes down to the galley* straightaway. Young Hawkins and Wood will be working for our cook, Mr. Silver."

Delbert and Jim complained about the captain the whole way down to the galley, and quickly received a scolding from Mr. Arrow. Ali rolled her eyes. Maybe Delbert had the right to be cross, but what did Jim really expect? He and Ali were teenagers embarking on a long voyage. It would only make sense for them to be there if they were doing work, and probably low position work at that.

If she was honest, Ali rather liked Captain Amelia. She was quick-witted and eloquent, and defied every claim that women couldn't be strong leaders. She also gave credit where credit was due, and had an entertaining sense of humor.

"Mr. Silver!" Mr. Arrow called, snapping Ali out of her thoughts. It was time to meet the cook.

"Why, Mr. Arrow, sir!" Mr. Silver said, wiping his hands on his apron. He was a big man with a prestigious belly. He spoke in a breezy tone, his voice marked by a slight accent. "Bringin' such fine, distinguished looking people to grace me humble galley. Had I known, I'd have tucked in me shirt."

As he moved to face them directly, however, Ali's gaze snapped to his right side. Where there should have been flesh and bone, there was instead a mechanical arm and leg. His right eye was mechanical as well, and flashed briefly with yellow light.

Ali remembered what the old man, Billy Bones, had said. _Beware the…_ "Cyborg," she whispered. She turned to Jim and met his gaze, knowing that the same thought was running through his head.

As Delbert was introduced and his outfit was—predictably—made fun of, Ali studied Mr. Silver. Despite his rough manner, Silver seemed amiable, and had a way with words. But then, most people weren't what they seemed.

Embarrassed by the roving laser beam of Silver's eye, Delbert abruptly thrust Ali and Jim forward. "These two young ones are Jim Hawkins and Alianne Wood."

"Nice to meet you both." Silver extended a metal hand made up of sharp utensils. When that got no positive response out of either teenager, he switched to a regular hand. Still the two of them only grimaced at it, suspicious and—in Ali's case—somewhat unnerved.

Silver chuckled and moved away from them. "Ah, now, don't be too put off by this hunk of hardware. These gears have been tough gettin' used to, but they do come in mighty handy from time to time."

Ali had to admit, he had a point. As he spoke he changed his cyborg arm into a variety of cooking utensils, using it to snip at meat, chop vegetables, and neatly crack eggs in a matter of seconds. He even used it as a blowtorch at the end, and dumped the finished concoction into a pot atop the stove. He scooped the contents of the pot into three bowls and handed one each to Delbert, Jim and Ali. "Have a taste of me famous bonzabeast stew."

Delbert and Jim both tried it and found it tasty. "An old family recipe," Silver called it. It was about then that an eyeball popped up in Delbert's bowl. "And that was part of the old family," Silver joked, laughing uproariously. "Go on, Miss Wood, have a swig," he coaxed, seeing that Ali hadn't touched her helping.

Ali scooped a bit of stew out with her spoon, regarding it uneasily. Before she could do anything else, though, the spoon sprouted eyes and a pink head. The spoon swallowed the bit of stew before turning completely pink and floating out of Ali's hand, forming into an odd little blob-like creature.

"Morph!" Silver exclaimed. "You jiggle-headed blob of mischief. So that's where you was hiding!" Even as he spoke, the blob changed into a straw and sucked the rest of the stew from Ali's bowl, giving a high-pitched burp of satisfaction.

"What _is_ that thing?" Ali said.

"What is that thing?" The blob repeated, shifting into a miniature replica of Ali. The likeness was perfect, from Ali's dress and leggings to her windblown blonde hair.

"He's a morph," Silver replied. "I rescued the little shape shifter on Proteus One. He took a shine to me. We've been together ever since." Morph nuzzled up against Silver's face as the man cooed to him.

Ali allowed herself a small smile. Morph seemed like such a happy, innocent thing. Would a creature like that really be so close to someone who was bad news?

At that moment, Mr. Arrow announced that they would soon be leaving port, and asked Delbert if he would like to watch the launch.

"Would I?" Exclaimed the doctor. "Does an active galactic nucleus have superluminal jets?"

"That's Doppler for 'yes,' Ali whispered to Arrow, who gave a rumbling chuckle.

"I'll follow you," Delbert said sheepishly to Arrow.

When Jim tried to follow suit, Arrow put out an arm to stop him. "Mr. Hawkins and Miss Wood will stay down here, in your charge, Mr. Silver."

Silver spat out a mouthful of stew. "Beggin' your pardon sir, but…"

"Captain's orders!" Arrow cut him off. "See to it the new cabin boy and kitchen girl are kept busy."

Once again Silver tried to protest, this time joined by Jim. When their protests went ignored, both males slapped a hand over their face. After a few seconds they lowered their hands.

"So, the captain's put you two with me, eh?" Silver said.

"Whatever," Jim replied, trying to sound nonchalant.

Ali could see the two males subtly circling each other, like wild animals waiting to pounce. _There is_ way _too much testosterone in here, for me to be thinking a thing like that._

Jim picked up a purp from a full barrel. "You know, these purps, they're kind of like the ones back home, on Montressor. You ever been there?"

Ali raised an eyebrow at her friend. What was he up to?

"Eh, can't says I have, Jimbo," Silver replied blandly.

"Come to think of it, just before I left I met this old guy who was uh, kind of looking for a cyborg buddy of his."

Ali bit her lip hard to hold back a groan. Now she understood. Jim was trying to get a response out of Silver, something that might incriminate him as Billy Bones' dreaded cyborg. She was suspicious of the man too; but did Jim have to be so _obvious_?

Searching for a distraction, Ali turned to the galley's drawers and cupboards. Rifling through them, she nodded as the contents of each one proved satisfactory. On finding a set of sleek steel-bladed knives, she grinned like a kid who had found the cookie jar. _Bingo._ Silver wouldn't need these with his super-versatile arm, but she could put them to good use.

She tuned back into the conversation just as Silver told the two of them to go and watch the ship be launched. "There'll be plenty of work waitin' for both of you afterwards."

Ali didn't have to be told twice. She jogged out of the galley and up the stairs, Jim following her at a more sedate pace. Up at the wheel, the captain and Mr. Arrow stood with their hands clasped behind their backs. Delbert leaned clumsily over the edge of the spot, peering at the deck below.

"Well, my friend," the captain said breezily to Mr. Arrow. "Are we ready to raise this creaking tub?"

"My pleasure, Captain," Mr. Arrow responded. Addressing the crew, he bellowed, "All hands to stations!"

Ali watched in awe as the solar sails were loosed and the ship began to rise. The sails swelled, absorbing sunlight that raced down the main mast as solar power, lighting up several clear panels before heading for the main engine.

Without warning her feet lifted from the deck. She grabbed onto a nearby rope, remembering what her father had said about anti-gravity during launches.

"Mr. Snuff," the captain said loudly, "engage artificial gravity." A moment later Ali felt herself dropping, and used the rope to make sure she landed lightly. Jim caught himself on one knee, and poor Delbert landed flat on his face, his metal suit creating extra impact.

A telltale whirring came to Ali's ears, as did Captain Amelia's advice to Delbert to "brace yourself."

"Jim!" She shouted, still gripping the rope. "Find something to hold onto!" Her friend did as she said, grabbing a rope of his own just as the jets launched them forcefully forward. Delbert had ignored the captain's instructions, and went flying back to one end of the ship.

So _this_ was why her father had so loved sailing. Ali relished the wind on her face and the view overhead as they flew into space. She cried out in wonder as they flew through a pod of singing whales. One of the creatures flew right over the ship, easily dwarfing the spacecraft as it cast its shadow. Jim was up in the rigging, grinning as another whale came within feet of him. The whale's eye was almost twice the size of Jim's head.

Meanwhile, Silver had come on deck and was sweet-talking the captain, or trying to, anyway. She cut through his words in a strictly no-nonsense manner. "Isn't that your cabin boy aimlessly footling about in those shrouds?"

Silver's face fell, and he assured the feline woman that the issue would be immediately remedied.

"Jimbo!" He called. "I got two new friends I'd like you to meet. Say hello to Mr. Mop and Mrs. Bucket." Silver tossed both items to Jim, who caught them with ease. His initially curious expression had become a flat-faced frown.

Ali giggled at her friend's face, and Silver caught the noise. "Don't think you'll be gettin' off easy, Miss Wood." He picked up another mop and bucket from the galley stairs and thrust them into her hands. "I'll be handlin' a few kitchen duties that I can't have a novice like you mucking up. Until I need you, you'll be on cleanin' duty with Jimbo."

He turned and headed down to the galley before Ali could form a proper reply. She watched him go, gaping.

"Novice," she finally growled to herself. "The girl who's been cooking since she was in diapers is a novice." At least this was a chance to work out in the open air and see the great scenery. She knew she wouldn't have much of that when she was cooking.

Several minutes later, she swept her mop across the deck, Jim a few feet to her left. She and Jim had agreed to stick together, making the job a little less boring.

As they worked, Ali saw three members of the crew standing around a barrel, speaking in hushed tones. They stopped and turned as they noticed her. "What are you looking at, weirdo?" one man said. A moment later, the man's head scuttled onto the barrel and a face on his body added, "Yeah, weirdo."

 _What the hell…_ Ali thought uneasily. A hissing noise came from above her, and another sailor climbed down from the rigging.

This sailor was without a doubt the most unnerving thing Ali had ever seen. He looked like an enormous hunchbacked spider, with crab claws and wickedly curved fangs thrown into the mix.

"Cabin boys and little girls should mind their own business," the thing said, his voice rasping and gravelly.

Ali's temper flared. The sailor had pushed one of her buttons with that 'little girl' comment. She knew it was a bad idea to talk back, but…"Are you trying to teach us manners, Lobster Boy?"

"Or is there something you don't want us to know?" Jim added.

Next thing Ali knew, the sailor had knocked her over and lifted Jim off the deck by his collar. "Maybe your ears don't work so well."

"Yeah, too bad my nose works just fine," muttered Jim, gagging on the sailor's foul breath.

Unfortunately, the sailor heard him. "Why, you impudent little…" he slammed Jim against the mast. The rest of the crew gathered around, hooting and shouting taunts.

"No!" Ali jumped to her feet and grabbed her mop, whacking the sailor's side with the handle. "Let go of him!"

The sailor only knocked her down again, leaving her dazed as he clipped her temple. "I'll deal with you later." He raised his free claw to Jim's throat. "Any last words, cabin boy?"

The next thing Ali knew, Silver was there, pulling the sailor's claw away with his cyborg arm. "Mr. Scroop," he took a casual bite of the purp in his human hand. "You ever see what happens to a fresh purp when you squeeze real hard?" He squeezed Scroop's claw and bent it backward, making him cry out and drop Jim.

Ali ran to Jim's side and helped him to his feet. Mr. Arrow appeared a moment later to scold the crew. He warned them that there would be no brawling on the ship, with unbending consequences for anyone who disobeyed. He directed his words especially at Scroop, who glared daggers at the stone man but conceded after a warning flash from Silver's cyborg eye.

As the crowd dispersed, Silver proceeded to give Ali and Jim a scolding of his own. "I gave you two a job to do!"

"Hey, we were doing it!" Jim protested. "Until that _bug_ thing showed up—"

"Belay that!" Silver shouted. "Now, I want this deck swabbed spotless, and heaven help you if I come back and it's not done! Morph," the little blob came at Silver's call. "Keep an eye on this pup." Morph moved closer to Jim, widening his eyes until they took up most of his body. "And you, Miss Wood! You'll be goin' with me to the galley, as Jimbo surely won't need any help here."

Ali shot Jim a sympathetic look, but did as Silver said. When she got to the mess deck*, though, she found the entire crew sitting at the tables. Her stomach churned with nerves, but she adopted an aloof look and walked past them, ignoring the glares sent her way. As she reached the entrance to the galley, she turned and found Silver just descending the stairs.

"Mr. Silver, are you coming?"

"I'll be along in a moment, lass," he replied easily. "I expect the crew wants a bit of grub to tide them over until dinner."

Ali nodded and walked through the door, keeping her face blank. Once out of sight, though, she let the façade drop.

She didn't believe Silver's story about giving the crew a snack. She had seen the way Scroop had reacted earlier, with Silver's eye on him, and how the other sailors had backed away the moment Silver arrived. Since when did a cook have so much influence over the rest of the crew?

She pulled out a few utensils, being deliberately noisy so it sounded like she was working. Then she crept over to the door, peering through the crack on the side.

"So, we're all here, then." Silver's voice was quiet, with a dangerous undertone that Ali didn't like. "Now, if you'll pardon my plain speaking, gentlemen…" His cyborg hand changed into a short sword. "Are you all stark, ravin', totally blinkin' daft?" He shouted. He swung the sword around, making various sailors jump or duck to avoid the blade. Ali jumped back herself, liking Silver's loud voice even less than his soft one. Her jump sent her reeling into a corner of the counter. She made sure everything on it was steady, wincing at the pain in her hip.

When she finally made it back to the crack, Scroop was speaking. "The brats were sniffing about," he growled, glaring at Silver.

"You just stick to the plan, you bug-brained twit," Silver spat. "As for the kids, I'll run them so ragged they won't have time to think."

With that statement, the meeting seemed to end. The rest of the crew went back to their posts, and Ali could see Silver heading for the galley door. Quickly she moved to a storage cupboard and pretended to inspect the contents, giving a huff as the big man came in.

"Now what are you up to, Miss Wood?"

"Ali turned to face him. "Well, Mr. Silver, you didn't tell me what we're going to be cooking. I thought I'd at least see what supplies we have to work with."

Silver seemed to buy her story, because he rattled off a list of things for her to grab, pulling ingredients out of another cupboard. He handed her several bulbous vegetables for her to cut up.

Ali chopped the vegetables with her usual efficiency, reaching for more not a minute later. Silver's eyebrows lifted. "You're not so bad at this for a young 'un; not nearly as bad as I expected. "

"He said to the girl with the knife," Ali muttered. To her surprise, the big man let out a hearty laugh.

"You got spunk, Miss Wood. I respect that. And if you can cook as well as you can handle a knife, you and I will get along just fine."

Ali's expression softened. "It's Ali, sir." The "novice" comment was still fresh in her mind, but Silver seemed to have realized his mistake.

The man grinned. "Then you'll be callin' me Silver, Miss Ali." Ali nodded her assent, and got back to work.

Either Silver had just been scolding the crew for starting a brawl, or there was something else going on here. Either way, better to stay on his good side. If he was Billy Bones' cyborg, she didn't want to be the target of his anger. She'd need to keep a wary eye on him.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 **Definitions:**

*Mess deck: the place on a ship where sailors eat, socialize, and sleep

*Galley: a ship's kitchen

 **Please leave a review! As well as feedback about the story, I'd love to hear your opinions on the music I've been providing for the chapters: if it works, if it doesn't, any song suggestions you might have, etc. Sending love to all of you who have given me such wonderful feedback already :)**


	9. The Way We Part

**So this chapter came a bit late. I've been traveling lately, and I left my laptop at home. I just got home today, and it's a pretty nice homecoming; I get to relax, reminisce about my travels, and post this chapter ^_^.**

 **Music is on my profile!**

Chapter 9

Silver hadn't been kidding when he said he'd work Ali and Jim hard. Over the next few weeks, Ali felt like she was handling the jobs of three workers instead of one. Feeding over a dozen people meant cooking huge quantities of food in record time, sometimes whipping up extra helpings while everyone else was eating. It didn't help that several members of the crew had multiple stomachs. She washed dishes and pots and pans until her arms were sore, going to sleep late at night only to rise early the next day.

Jim's schedule wasn't much better. Silver seemed determined to constantly keep an eye on the boy, and gave him all manner of things to do. Jim mopped or scrubbed the deck for hours at a time, and had the majority of the late watch shifts. One time Ali dumped a load of inedible food bits off the side of the ship and narrowly missed Jim and Silver, who were prying barnacles off the hull. Well, Jim was handling the barnacles; Silver was shouting orders.

One night, Ali was doing her usual nightly cleanup: putting away ingredients, wiping off the kitchen counters, and doing dishes. As she added a plate to the clean stack, she reached to her left to grab another dish, but grasped only empty air. She turned, blinking, to find there wasn't one dirty utensil left. She was finished! Maybe she could actually get to sleep at a decent time tonight.

Her hopes were quickly dashed as Silver came in, dumping an enormous new stack of dishes to clean. _Where did all of these even_ come _from?_ Her face fell as she looked from Silver to the stack and then at Silver again. The big man jauntily wished her good luck before swaggering out of the room. Pushing her sleeves farther up her arms, she set to work. Trying to distract herself, she hummed quietly, letting the sound do whatever it wanted. But as time passed and she lost energy, the humming grew slower and less frequent. When she finally finished the last pot, she sighed in relief. Her humming was still playing in her head, though, soft and soothing. She slumped forward, eyes drooping.

Silver tramped into the galley to see how far Ali had gotten. He found the girl passed out on one of the bigger pots, the scrub brush still in her hand. Looking around, he was astonished to find every dish done, perfectly stacked and sparkling clean. "Perhaps I'm not givin' the girl enough credit," he murmured. He knew she was a good cook, and she worked hard even when she looked frustrated enough to throw something. Even tonight, she had only fallen asleep once the job was done.

Smiling, Silver took his coat off and draped it around her, then quietly turned and headed up the stairs.

Ali woke to someone insistently shaking her shoulder. "Nngh," she groaned, trying to swat the person away.

"Ali, don't tell me you want to spend the night cuddling a pot."

Ali peeled her eyes open. "Jim?"

Her friend smiled at her. "In the flesh. Now come on, let's get to bed."

Ali sighed and sat up. As she did, something warm and heavy slipped off her shoulders, pooling around her back and sides. She picked it up, inspecting it. "Wait a minute…"

"Is that Silver's coat?" Jim finished her thought, brow furrowed.

"I think so." Ali frowned. "But, he always just loads me down with work. Why would he do something nice like lending me his coat?"

Jim hesitated. "He's really not so bad. It could be worse. I mean, imagine if we had to work for that spider psycho Scroop."

Ali shuddered. "Thank goodness we don't."

"Agreed." Jim tugged on her arm. "Now come on, you look dead on your feet. Well, dead on your butt, really," he smirked.

Ali folded up Silver's coat before getting to her feet. She knew there was something she wanted to tell Jim, something about Silver, but her barely conscious brain couldn't summon it up. On the mess deck, she slipped Silver's coat under his hammock and then made a beeline for her own hammock, collapsing into it and instantly passing out.

ooOoo

The next morning, Ali found herself conflicted in her feelings about Silver. Part of her was still suspicious, and less than happy with how he overworked her. But another part kept coming back to the coat incident, and wanted to know if there was a better side of Silver that she just hadn't seen yet. And if so, she wanted to see that side. Eventually, she decided to reserve judgment and just keep her eyes open.

After that night, several things changed. First, her workload was lightened. She still had more than enough to do; but now she could keep up with it. She could eat meals without having to stop and cook extra for the others, and her breaks left her enough time to really catch her breath.

Another bonus was a certain pink blob that had decided he liked her. Morph would pop down to the galley at least once a day, babbling happily and imitating her as she worked. Ali suspected that he came partially for the food she made, but enjoyed his company all the same.

The biggest change, though, was in how Silver treated Jim. Gradually Silver decreased the boy's workload, instead taking time to teach him all sorts of skills. At first Jim seemed to find this annoying, learning the lessons quickly just so he could leave. As time passed, though, Ali saw her friend developing respect and even admiration for Silver, voluntarily spending more time with the big man when he wasn't doing work.

Ali knew exactly what was going on: Jim was finding a father figure in Silver. This new development made Ali more conflicted than ever. It made her jealous that Silver seemed to get more of Jim's time lately than she did, jealous that he was making Jim happy in ways that she couldn't.

She would have these thoughts, and then immediately feel ashamed of herself. She would remind herself not to get greedy when it came to Jim. She knew it would be ridiculous to think he should spend all his time with her. He had spent the majority of his time with her since they were twelve.

And _of course_ she couldn't make Jim happy the same way Silver could! A best friend couldn't replace a father figure, and Ali knew she couldn't begrudge Jim that. Her father had at least been devoted to her while he had been alive. Jim's father had never bothered to pay attention to him, and had left without looking back. It was about time Jim had some semblance of a proper father, and in her heart Ali was glad he had found that.

But her emotions had no plans to listen to logic. It hurt when Jim used his break to go off with Silver instead of coming to visit her. It hurt that he spent more of their time together talking about what he had done with Silver, and paid less attention to what or how she was doing. After over six years of constant companionship, his increased absence in her days made her feel dejected in a way that she couldn't stomp out. Even when she found the heart to hum to herself—the most music she could manage lately—, all that came out were dreary tunes.

It was another day, with her thoughts circling this same train of thought, when she saw Jim and Silver enter the mess deck, heading for the stairs to the lower deck.

Ali calculated how long it would be until she had to have the next meal ready. There was enough time for her to at least investigate. She wiped her hands on a dishrag and hurried after the two.

"Hey Jim, where are you going? Don't tell me you're done with cleaning duty already." She desperately hoped she didn't sound clingy.

Jim grinned. "We're headed to the longboats. Silver's gonna teach me how to fly one."

"Oh." Ali deflated. Another lesson for the two males to bond over. She didn't know why she was surprised. "That's cool. I hope you have fun."

Jim stopped and looked at Ali. He could tell when she really meant something and when she was faking an emotion. And right now she looked flat-out disappointed, despite trying to hide it. "Do you wanna come?"

Ali's eyebrows shot up at the unexpected offer. "Really? I mean, won't Silver mind?"

"Only one way to find out." Jim cupped a hand around his mouth. "Hey Silver, can Ali come along?" He shouted down the staircase.

There was silence for a beat. Then Silver's voice came echoing up to them. "If she has tonight's dinner handled, I suppose so."

Jim turned to Ali. "Have you got dinner handled?"

"Um, yeah…"

"Let's go, then." He grabbed her hand and pulled her along with him.

Ali glanced down at their joined hands. It wasn't a new form of contact for them, but something about it made her stomach flutter. Maybe it was because they hadn't had real physical contact in a while.

When they reached the lower deck, Jim released Ali's hand, helping Silver to untie the longboat and open the hatch in the floor. Silver got into the little boat as it was lowered into open space, flying off to get the engine running and returning a moment later. Jim grinned and jumped in to sit beside Silver.

Ali raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure I'll fit?" For all that she enjoyed flying, she was oddly hesitant right now.

"You will if you sit in front of us," Jim called back.

"Are you sure about—"

"Ali," Jim interrupted.

"Yeah?"

"Just get in the boat."

Ali finally cracked a smile, hopping in as instructed. "Yes, Mr. Hawkins."

Silver started showing Jim the basic controls of the boat. As Jim absorbed the information, Silver addressed Ali. "I don't know if you know much about flying, but you may want to brace yourself."

Ali grinned. "I think you should be the one bracing yourself." Years of sharing Jim's solar surfer had desensitized Ali to his daredevil flying style, and she doubted he even needed to be taught how to fly this boat. Silver, on the other hand, didn't know what Jim was capable of.

"Why do you say—whoa!" Silver's question turned to a shout as Jim launched them abruptly forward. Ali laughed at the look on Silver's face and then closed her eyes to savor the wind in her hair. The air around her became colder, and she opened her eyes to find they were flying inside the tail of a comet. She whooped giddily when Jim steered them into a patch of snowflakes and took them through several consecutive barrel rolls.

Ali looked back as they moved away from the comet, catching Jim's eye. She was grinning at him, eyes shining. She looked happier and more alive than she had in weeks. He had missed seeing her that way, Jim realized.

Eventually, to Ali's regret, they returned to the ship. Jim stepped over to the bow of the boat, and Ali moved to the middle so that he and Silver could hoist the little craft inside.

"Oh, you having a little trouble there?" Jim teased, stepping over to Silver to make the boat tilt and give him more weight to pull.

"Get away from me!" Silver chuckled, shoving Jim back to his spot.

Ali ducked as the man's cyborg hand narrowly missed her head. "Hey Silver, I _am_ still here, and unfortunately within hitting range."

"My apologies, Miss Ali," Silver replied. "Although perhaps 'tis just karma, paying you back for not warnin' me sooner about Jimbo's flying skills."

"I did warn you!"

"Can't say it prepared me, though."

Ali laughed. "Fine, make it my fault." Her opinion of Silver had risen markedly over the past few weeks. Between all he was doing for Jim and his current jovial manner, she found herself almost relaxing around him.

She stood up when she was sure the boat was tied securely. "I guess I better get back to the kitchen. Thanks for inviting me, Jim; that was a great ride." On impulse she hugged her friend, then climbed out of the boat, humming a markedly happier tune.

Silver didn't miss the blush that dusted Jim's cheeks. He waited until Ali was out of earshot, and then spoke. "She's a good girl, isn't she?"

Jim smiled. "Yeah, she is."

"She's a pretty one too, eh?"

"Yeah, she is," repeated Jim without thinking. Then his head snapped up. "Wait, what?"

Silver smiled knowingly. "Oh, nothing, Jimbo. Now, I've got to say, if I could maneuver a skiff like you can when I was your age, they'd be bowing in the streets when I walked by today."

That seemed to distract the boy, because he went with the new line of conversation. "I don't know, they weren't exactly singing my praises when I left home." _Understatement of the century._ "But I'm gonna change all that."

"Are you now?" Silver smiled crookedly. "How so?"

"Uh, I got some plans." Jim clasped his hands behind his head and leaned back, eyes closing. "Gonna make people see me a little different."

Silver's face turned serious. If Jim's plans were anything like _his_ plans… "Sometimes plans go astray."

"Not this time," Jim replied confidently.

Silver gave a low hum, and bent down to adjust his cyborg leg. When he struggled to move the bolt holding it in place, Morph floated down and changed into a wrench. "Oh, thank you, Morphy." He used the Morph-wrench to loosen the bolt.

Jim opened his eyes and lowered his hands, his smile slipping. "So, uh…how'd that happen, anyway?" he nodded toward Silver's mechanical limbs.

Silver looked at his cyborg hand sadly. "You give up a few t'ings, chasing a dream," he said softly.

Jim frowned, sympathy welling up in him. "Was it worth it?"

Silver chuckled, and came to sit beside Jim. "I'm hopin' it is, Jimbo. I most surely am."

At that moment a huge impact hit the ship, making the longboat rock wildly and sending Morph splatting against a column.

Up in the galley, the impact sent Ali reeling forward, nearly skewering herself on a carving knife. Swearing, she dropped the knife and ran up on deck. She could hear Delbert's raised voice, and her breath caught as she made out his words. A nearby star was going supernova.

As the many-armed Mr. Turnbuckle took evasive action at the wheel, Mr. Arrow called for everyone to secure their lifelines. Ali hurried to obey; even a single rope around her waist was better than nothing at all. Next to her, Jim and Silver were doing the same. The three of them scrambled through the rigging to get the sails closed. As they reached the bowsprit, Ali got her first good look at the supernova…and froze.

It was like the entire world had turned to flames. The fires from her childhood and at the Benbow were less than a speck next to this raging inferno. Her breathing became shallow and quick as her heart sped faster and faster. _Not now!_ She struggled to rein in her fear. _I can't lose it now!_

When Jim saw her freeze, he didn't need to ask what was wrong. He grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him. "Ali, snap out of it! Listen, we're going to survive this fire. We are going to get out of this. But we need to keep moving."

Ali's terrified green eyes met Jim's gaze. "We need to keep moving," he repeated, more urgently this time.

His eyes were so blue. _So blue…like water._ Ali clung to that thought, and felt air whoosh back into her lungs. "Then let's move." The two of them stepped toward the staysail, fighting against the stellar winds. Ali grabbed the attached rope as Jim untied it, pulling with all her might. Jim's help sped up the task, and when they got the sail closed Silver quickly tied it together. As the big man gripped another rope, however, a flaming piece of debris blasted through the wood right in front of him. Caught off balance, he reeled back and fell from his place, his lifeline breaking under the sudden weight of his metal arm and leg.

"Silver!" Jim leaped forward and grabbed the end of Silver's lifeline, pulling hard to haul him up. Unfortunately the man was quite heavy; Ali could see that Jim's weight wouldn't be enough to counteract it. She dashed forward and grabbed the lifeline too, adding her strength and weight to his. Together they managed to haul Silver up, and Silver grabbed at the bowsprit with both hands, pulling himself up the last few feet.

"Thank you, Jimbo, and you, Miss Ali," he said shakily. Ali and Jim managed smiles, also shaky, as Jim helped the man to his feet. Their smiles faded, though, when they looked up to see a gargantuan ball of flaming rock headed for the ship. Cannon fire had no effect on the thing; it came relentlessly closer, seconds away from obliterating them all.

Just as the ball was about to hit the ship, it retreated, abruptly pulled back by some strong force. While Ali was glad not to have that problem to deal with, she knew they weren't out of the woods yet.

As she scrambled back to the deck, she once again heard Delbert's panicked voice: "The star…it's devolving into a black hole!"

Ali felt her blood go cold. Black holes were the kiss of death for any sailor. She saw Mr. Turnbuckle fall away from the wheel and Captain Amelia burst in to grab it. Another shock wave hit the ship, sending Ali sprawling to the deck.

"Blast these waves, they're so erratic!" the captain shouted.

"No, Captain, they're not erratic at all!" Delbert shouted back. "There'll be one more in precisely 47.2 seconds, followed by the biggest magilla of all!"

To Ali's surprise, the captain's face lit up. "Of course! Brilliant, Doctor! We'll ride that last magilla out of here!"

"All sails secured, Captain," Mr. Arrow called up.

"Good man!" the captain replied. "Now, release them immediately!"

Mr. Arrow looked incredulous, but obeyed just the same. "You heard her, men!" he bellowed to the crew. "Unfurl those sails!"

As the crew complained, Ali immediately took the order, making the climb up to the sails. She was still terrified, and had no idea if she would survive the next few minutes. But she'd be damned if she didn't try.

When she was halfway up the shroud, however, a new load of debris rained down around her, apparently drawn from further away by the black hole. Rungs in the shroud snapped around her. A smaller chunk of debris slammed into her back, making her cry out in pain.

On the deck, someone called her name. As the debris cleared, Ali looked to see Jim staring up at her in panic.

"I'm fine!" She called down.

His only response was, "Your lifeline!"

Ali pulled on the rope around her waist, and it came off in her hand. That rock in her back must have broken it, because the rope was torn cleanly in two.

Jim looked ready to fashion her a new lifeline; but Ali shook her head. "There's no time!" She shouted down. "If we don't pull this off, we're all dead anyway!" And with that, she continued her climb.

As she reached the top of the shroud, she spotted a sail toward the back of the ship that no one had gotten to. Handling it on her own would be tough, but she would have to manage. Dredging up every little lesson her father had given her on sailing, she maneuvered herself closer until she reached the sail.

This one would have to be pulled loose before it could unfurl. Grabbing the rope on one side, she braced herself and pulled. Nothing happened. She tugged harder, again with no results. The sail was stuck.

 _Come on, Alianne, you've got more fight in you than this!_ Gritting her teeth, she pulled down and back as hard as she could, throwing all her weight backwards.

The strategy worked. Her momentum carried through the whole of the sail, pulling her side of it down and making the other side ripple free as well. Unfortunately, that wasn't the only effect it had. Already unsteady from throwing her body weight around, the abrupt snap of the sail caught her off balance. She stumbled back, arms pinwheeling, and toppled off the end of the yardarm. A gust of wind took hold of her, drowning out her scream and tossing her into space, away from the ship's gravity force field.

The wind continued to toss her, making her roll head over heels again and again through the air. As it died away, though, her somersaults slowed and then stopped, letting her get some semblance of her bearings.

She had been carried some distance from the ship, and therefore some distance from the still-forming black hole. Searching through her mind for a possible explanation, she remembered one of her father's favorite stories. In it, he had described "spiteful winds," currents of air that lingered contrarily around black holes. These strong air currents blew ships away from black holes, far enough to give doomed sailors hope but not far enough for them to escape.

Ali had thought the idea to be wonderfully terrifying when she was younger. Now, though, the reality was anything but wonderful. She could indeed feel the black hole's gravitational pull, weak enough that it was just a slow current but strong enough that she couldn't move away. Hell, she probably couldn't have taken herself anywhere even without the black hole. Humans were not made to move freely through outer space.

She considered calling to the people on the ship before realizing how ridiculous the idea was. If they couldn't hear her screaming while she still was on the ship, they certainly wouldn't hear her from this far off. And even if they did, what could they do? They were in even deeper trouble than she was.

Tears leaked from her eyes and floated in front of her face as she fully processed her situation. On the ship there had at least been some possibility of survival, and people there with her. She'd had friends there with her. Now she was floating out here, about to die alone after fighting so hard to live.

At that last thought, a sudden calm welled up in her, along with a sense of clarity. She _had_ fought for her life several times in her eighteen years—sometimes literally struggling to stay alive, sometimes searching for a life that was actually decent. Maybe she had evaded death one too many times, and was paying for it now.

She wondered what death by black hole was like. Would it be painful? Maybe she would just dissolve instantly; that couldn't be too bad. She just wished she didn't have to be alone for it.

Another shockwave reached her, sending her tumbling. As she lost track of which way was up, she closed her eyes. She was still moving when something seized her wrists.

Her eyes flew open and she tilted her head back, trying to see what was holding her. All she could make out was a shadowed, humanoid figure.

Whatever it was, it hadn't stopped moving when it grabbed her. It kept up a breakneck pace, speeding through space…and _away_ from the black hole.

 _This is_ not _happening. Nope. There's no way. I've clearly cracked under all the recent stress. Or maybe I'm already in the black hole, and it's making me hallucinate._ These theories were somewhat contradicted by the pain in her shoulders, which felt close to being pulled from their sockets.

The black hole's pull grew stronger, and whatever was towing Ali faltered. Instead of being drawn back, though, it pulled her close so her back was pressed against its front, and moved them together into a horizontal position. Ali's shell-shocked mind noted that they were more streamlined that way, with less air resistance, if that even applied in deep space.

The two took off again, this time with some panting from the carrier. Gradually, the black hole's pull lessened. When the pull was no longer detectable, Ali's carrier released her, only keeping hold of her wrist so that she wouldn't float away. Now that dying no longer seemed inevitable, Ali's mind started to function again.

 _Ok, apparently I'm out of danger. Well, that depends on just what is currently holding on to me; but at least I'm alive. What about the others?_ She looked toward the now distant black hole, scanning desperately for a trace of the ship. She was just in time to see a tiny, golden-brown speck disappear into the void.

Everything was swept from her mind by blank shock. "No," she whispered. But before she could say anything more, the black hole was lit up, red light billowing out in the biggest shockwave of them all. And surging up from the center of the wave was last second's speck, also known as the R.L.S. Legacy. The ship catapulted out of the explosion, breaking free and sailing into open space.

With a start, Ali remembered the captain's words. _"We'll ride that last magilla out of here!"_ She had never been so glad that Delbert had commissioned Captain Amelia for the voyage. She doubted any other captain could have escaped a black hole, let alone with the ship and the crew intact.

 _Well, almost intact…_ her thoughts drifted to her current position. The thing holding her hadn't said a word since they had stopped. Ali figured that meant one of two things. Either it had rescued her, and she should offer a thank you; or it was something dangerous and she had reason to panic.

There was only one way to find out. She grasped the thing's wrist and tried to turn around. Unfortunately, anti-gravity was still working against her. For all she twisted and kicked her legs, she only succeeded in flailing around.

The thing chuckled at her lack of progress, and started a half circle around her. Without the black hole sucking light from the vicinity, Ali could glimpse long limbs and human-looking hair.

Finally it stopped moving, hovering in front of her. Ali focused her gaze on its face…and found her own face staring back at her.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 **Definitions:**

*Bowsprit: a pole or spar extending forward from a ship's prow

*Staysail: a triangular sail often attached to the bowsprit

*Yardarm: the end of a yard (yards=the horizontal poles on a ship, used to secure and/or manipulate sails)

 **Reviews are loved and appreciated! :)**


	10. Ancient History

**Music is on my profile!**

Chapter 10

All right, it wasn't _literally_ her face. Still, it was uncannily close. The woman—Ali much preferred "woman" to "the thing"—had the same blonde hair, the same pale skin, the same rounded green eyes. She wore a sleeveless gold dress that hemmed above the knee, the fabric almost transparent. She looked a little older than Ali—maybe twenty-five to Ali's eighteen—, but other than that they could have been twins. To top it off, she looked just as stunned as Ali felt.

For a long moment, the two stared at each other in silence. Then Ali managed to form three words: "Who are you?"

ooOoo

Jim cracked one eye open at the sound of shouts. Lifting his head, he found that the entire crew was cheering, jumping into the air and dancing for joy. Silver moved away from Jim, and the two let loose hearty, relieved laughs. They were actually alive!

"Well, I must congratulate you, Mr. Silver," The captain stepped down to their level of the deck. "It seems your cabin boy did a bang-up job with those lifelines." Jim and Silver nudged each other playfully, grinning.

"Mr. Arrow, all hands accounted for?" The captain called. There was no answer. "Mr. Arrow?" Still there was no answer. After a few seconds, Mr. Scroop came forward, holding a tricorn hat out to the captain. It was Mr. Arrow's hat.

"I'm afraid Mr. Arrow has been lost," Scroop said mournfully. "His lifeline was not secured."

Captain Amelia took the hat, looking stricken. Everyone's eyes turned to Jim.

"No!" Jim protested. "I checked them all!" He spun and shoved his way through the crowd, stopping short when he found one peg missing a lifeline. "I…I did, I checked them all! They were secure…I swear!" he said desperately.

The captain gave him a glare full of disbelief and blame. She gripped the hat in her hands and spoke a few sad words in honor of Mr. Arrow. Jim barely heard her, feeling the stab of guilt in his chest. When she instructed the crew to return to their posts, however, he remembered someone else whose lifeline had broken.

"Silver!" He hurried over to the big man. "Have you seen Ali?"

Silver raised his eyebrows. "Can't say I have. Why do you ask?"

"She…her lifeline broke, when she was in the shrouds. She was fine, but she wouldn't come down to make a new lifeline. She said there wasn't time." Dread roiled in Jim's gut. When Silver didn't respond, he turned and ran. Dashing up and down the ship, he shouted his friend's name, hoping to find her on deck, up in the rigging, down in the kitchen, _anywhere._

Silver watched Jim run, his face drooping sadly. He remembered what he had said to the boy only minutes ago: _"Ye give up a few t'ings, chasing a dream."_ At the time he had been referring to himself. He hadn't expected it to become true for Jim, so suddenly and so cruelly.

Jim collapsed onto a barrel, despair pressing down on him. His head drooped, and he buried his face in his hands.

Ali wasn't on the ship. Ali was gone.

ooOoo

"Who are you?" Ali repeated.

The woman in front of her frowned. "I was going to ask you the same thing."

Ali exhaled. "Okay. Maybe we should start with a different question. What are you?"

The woman laughed, a lilting sound. "Well, it's obvious that _you_ are a human. As for me…I'm a sirenial."

With a gasp, Ali wrenched her arm from the woman's—the _sirenial's—_ grasp. When the sirenial made to grab her again, she lashed out with one fist, making the sirenial start and lean back a little. "Keep your hands off of me!"

Ali let antigravity lift her into a horizontal position, using the momentum from her attempted punch to turn around. She might be part sirenial, but that didn't make her immune to their power or to what they did with sailors. She didn't feel very capable of movement right now; but she had to get out of here somehow! Maybe she could swim through space?

"Hold on a minute, just calm down—" the sirenial started.

"Keep away from me!" Ali shouted back. Breathing in, she started making long strokes through the air with her arms, kicking her legs furiously. After a minute of straight-legged kicking, she switched to amphibian stroke.

Unfortunately, Ali had only limited experience when it came to swimming. Growing up on a desert planet hadn't given her many chances to swim, even during her years in a port town. It was for that reason that she eventually slipped up, leaning too much into one of her strokes. She tumbled forward with a screech, stopping upside down with a clear view of the scene behind her.

The sirenial was watching her from her same spot in the air, looking deeply unimpressed. Ali groaned when she realized that for all her effort, she hadn't moved an inch.

The sirenial sighed and gripped Ali's wrist again, pulling her upright so they were face to face again. "Are you done now?"

"Are you going to hurt me?" Ali hated how small her voice sounded.

The sirenial gave her a disbelieving look. "If I wanted to do that, I would have just left you to the black hole."

Ali's lips parted. The sirenial wouldn't have braved a black hole just to save her and then kill her, right? "Touché. Well, um, thank you for rescuing me." She took a steadying breath. "Why exactly did you do it, though?"

"I'm what you humans call a kind sirenial. Saving sailors is a common thing for me."

Ali deflated with relief. "Oh...oh, thank goodness," she said softly, closing her eyes. The explanation fit, especially as the sirenial was being so civil with her. Most sirenials wouldn't bother. Even as the reasoning sunk in, she inwardly smacked herself. She had been raised on this information!

She opened her eyes to meet the sirenial's gaze. "I guess I should apologize. I just thought…well…"

"You thought I wasn't one of the kind ones?" At Ali's nod, the sirenial gave an unsurprised smile. "I understand. You would have been right to be afraid."

Ali tilted her head to one side. "Ok, so you don't mean me harm; you saved me from the black hole. But then again, _how_ did you do it? I've never heard of someone resisting a black hole's gravity."

"Humans and other planet-dwellers can't resist it, it's true," the sirenial said a little haughtily. "But sirenials are made to survive in space, and we know how to handle its dangers. Even so, you're lucky that black hole was still forming. The shockwaves from new ones create momentum that we can use to get out of range; but an established black hole would be inescapable."

"Um, right." Ali blinked, not sure how to handle the new load of information.

The sirenial rolled her eyes. "Now, it's my turn to ask a question: why do you look just like me?"

"That's what I want to know." Ali pursed her lips. "Do sirenials tend to look the same as each other?"

The sirenial raised an eyebrow. "Not usually. Why?"

"I'm just testing out questions. I want an explanation as much as you do." Ali pursed her lips. "Well, does it work that way with your other relatives? That is, have you had any kids, and do they look like you?"

The sirenial's face crumpled, and she bowed her head. "Once I had children, a son and a daughter; but neither Daniel nor Isabella looked exactly like me."

"Isabella," Ali murmured. The name rang a faint bell, if only she could remember from where. "And what's your name?"

"Despina," the sirenial replied, eyes still cast down.

Ali's eyes widened. "You…Despina?" Suddenly she felt like she was tumbling through space again.

"Yes."

"Are you sure?" Ali pressed.

The sirenial lifted her head. "Of course I'm sure. I think I would know my own name."

"You're a sirenial, you look just like me, and your name is Despina?"

Despina raised an eyebrow. "Now you're just re-stating the obvious." She frowned when Ali put a hand to her head. "What's the matter?"

"I…I think…" Ali stuttered. Finally she managed to squeak out, "I think we might be related."

"What?" Despina closed her mouth and fixed Ali with an intent stare. "Explain. Now."

Taken aback by the sudden force, Ali nonetheless did as she said. "My grandmother used to tell me stories of my ancestor Despina, a sirenial who was kinder than the rest of her sisters. She rescued a sailor, a human man, from the wiles of her sisters' voices." She lowered her hand from her head. "She brought the man to a livable planet, with a little town, and the two of them fell in love. They settled down, got married, and had two children. The children grew into adulthood, and Despina's husband grew older. When he died he was old and gray, but Despina looked as young as when they had met, since sirenials are long-lived and forever young. The next day, there was some kind of accident at the place where their children worked. When someone came to the family house to inform Despina, she was nowhere to be found."

Ali frowned. "That's where the story becomes a little unclear. No one knows why you left. Some people have said that you abandoned your children."

"I did not abandon them!" Despina burst out. Her eyes were filled with tears. "I loved my husband, Benjamin, and I loved my children. Daniel and Isabella were brilliant mechanics, and got their first jobs at an engineering factory. And there _was_ an explosion at the factory. It made the whole place collapse. I went into town, and everyone was weeping and cursing, saying that there were no survivors." A few tears trickled down her cheeks. "I had already lost my husband the day before. When I heard what everyone was saying, I just…cracked. I had lost the three loves of my life within the span of two days. So I left. There was nothing left for me in that place but pain."

Ali's heart ached, hearing echoes of her past in the story. "Oh, Despina." She wrapped her free hand around the sirenial's shoulder, and used it to clumsily pull her into a hug.

The sirenial returned the hug for several seconds, and then drew back again. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." Ali replied. "But…what did you do after you left?"

Despina sniffled. "I went back into deep space. For a while I was part of another sirenial group, but my…rescuer tendencies got me kicked out after a few decades. Since then I've been wandering the universe, doing the occasional rescue but never staying long enough to get attached. Getting attached again would have hurt too much."

Ali bit her lip. "Despina…there's something that you need to know. There's a reason I know this story in the first place. The reason is that Isabella survived the explosion."

Despina sucked in a sharp breath. "What? But how?"

"She was in an underground part of the factory when the explosion hit. She was trapped there for a few days under the wreckage; but people were coming through to clear out the place. Eventually a few of them heard her and managed to get her out.

Her brother didn't survive the explosion. His death and her mother's disappearance—well, your disappearance—were heavy blows, and it took her a long time to recover. But she met a man who shared her grief, having lost two brothers to the explosion, and the two of them came to love each other. Now I suppose you know that Isabella inherited the power of the sirenial song."

Despina nodded. "She had a wonderful voice, only a bit less powerful than mine. What did she do with it?"

"It's not what she did with it that matters here, but what she _didn't_ do: she never used it on the man she loved. His love for her was all his own. Well, the two of them had a daughter, passing down the sirenial voice. And as her life continued, Isabella kept a journal and filled it with stories—the story of how her parents met, stories from her childhood, the memory of the explosion, and of her life from then on."

"So she lived on without me," Despina said mournfully. "She was alive, and I abandoned her."

Ali frowned. "You couldn't have known what happened to her. And she made it through; she found love and happiness after it all." When Despina didn't respond, she tried again. "Remember the journal I mentioned, your daughter's journal? That journal was how her story, and yours, was preserved. My ancestors passed it down through the ages, as the sirenial gift was passed down alongside it. Just think about it. How many generations has it been since that journal was written, or even since the journal was still around for reference? And yet I'm here now, and I know the story!"

Despina finally looked up and gave Ali a smile. "You are kind. And you're my descendant, to boot. Hold on, I never got your name!"

Ali grinned. "It's Alianne. Alianne Wood. Everyone calls me Ali, though."

"Ali. Alianne," Despina murmured. "Both beautiful names." After a moment her eyes lit up. "This is incredible. I have descendants! And one of them is floating right in front of me!"

A laugh bubbled up from Ali's lips. "And I'm talking to my ancestor! It's so ironic that my last living relative is also my oldest one."

"Watch who you're calling old, Ali." Despina stopped. "I'm your last living relative?"

Ali sighed, shoulders slumping. "I guess I have another story to tell you now." She described the earlier years of her life: her parents' deaths, the fire in her home, and her hometown's treatment of her. It was easier telling it this time, as she had stopped denying her past years ago. She still found herself crying by the end of it, though.

Despina hugged Ali and wiped her face dry. "Oh, dear, you've had it worse than I have."

"Well, maybe," Ali said with a sniffle. "Or maybe not."

"You say you only have minimal sirenial power, and people were still afraid of you?"

"Yeah. It's amazing how stigmas can affect people." Ali sighed. Then her lips tilted upward. "Things got better, though. I found a second home, with people who accepted me. I worked at an inn, with Sarah and Jim…" Suddenly she gasped, jerking so violently that Despina had to release her and then grab hold of her again. "Jim! And Delbert! They must think I'm dead!"

"Ali, slow down. What are you talking about?"

Quickly Ali explained what she was doing in space in the first place, although she omitted the destination of the ship. "Could you take me to the ship? Is that possible?"

Despina looked troubled. "Ali…"

"Could you?" Ali repeated.

"I…yes, I could. But are you sure you want to go? You could…you could stay with me instead."

Ali's forehead creased. "What?"

"We're family, Ali. We could find a hospitable planet, somewhere beautiful, and live there together. We could travel, too. The galaxy is an amazing place, Ali, with so much to experience. And I could show you things that only space dwellers can reach. We could build a life of our own, learn from each other; have time to really know each other."

Ali stared at her. For years she had lived without her parents, thinking all her family to be dead. After discovering she had a living relative, Despina's proposal was very tempting.

But then she thought of the people who had come into her life after her mother's death. She recalled Delbert walking around in his ridiculous metal suit. She thought of Sarah's steady kindness. And clearest of all, she pictured Jim, with his deep blue eyes and trademark smirk. Jim, who loved solar surfing and cinnamon toast, and who held compassion under all his sarcasm.

Pulling herself towards Despina, Ali hugged her tighter than ever. "Oh, Granny," she whispered. "I do want you in my life. It is such a miracle that I've met you today, and I don't want to leave you behind. But there are people on that ship who mean the world to me. I have to get back to them."

Despina pulled back and studied Ali's face. Her granddaughter's expression was determined, but held an insistent plea. "You have a bond you want to protect; people you are willing to fight for," she said finally. "That's good. I will take you back to them. But first," she cut off Ali before she could speak. "I have something I want to show you."

Uncertainty rippled through Ali. "What do you have in mind?"

"If you cannot remain with me, there is a song you need to know. None of that," she said at the look on Ali's face. "It's a kind of communication song. If you sing it and focus your thoughts on me, you'll be able to get in contact with me. The same will apply to me when I sing it and think of you."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. It's how sirenials contact each other across long distances."

"Then teach me!" Ali wasn't about to let this loophole go. "Wait, won't your voice affect me?"

"It should affect you less, as you are my descendant."

Ali gave Despina an unimpressed stare.

"Oh, all right," Despina sighed. "I'll hold the power part back."

"Ok. So what's the song?"

Despina smiled and started to sing.

"I hear your voice on the wind

And I hear you call out my name"

"Listen, my child, you say to me

I am the voice of your history

Be not afraid; come follow me

Answer my call and I'll set you free"

"I am the voice in the wind and the pouring rain

I am the voice of your hunger and pain

I am the voice that always is calling you

I am the voice, I will remain"

Despina's voice was just as lovely as any sirenial's should be. Even without power behind it, Ali found herself sighing in pleasure.

"I am the voice in the fields when the summer's gone

The dance of the leaves when the autumn winds blow

Ne'er do I sleep throughout all the cold winter long

I am the force that in springtime will grow"

"I am the voice of the past that will always be

Filled with my sorrow and blood in my fields

I am the voice of the future; bring me your peace

Bring me your peace, and my wounds, they will heal"

Ali was vaguely aware of the silly smile that adorned her face. Perhaps Despina had let something slip, or just couldn't keep her voice from having some effect, because the music was enchanting. It seemed to sing through her very blood. Even as Ali took it in, trying to remember as much as possible, she marveled at the complex feelings it inspired. She knew her own voice could inspire positive emotions; but it was obvious that her power was much less refined. Through Despina's voice she experienced her own specific scenarios. There was the elation of long-awaited success; the quiet content of sipping tea in an armchair; the bounce of a day when everything was going right; the sweetness of a lullaby; the comfort of familiar arms around her.

Despina wondered what Ali was feeling. She had found that the feelings differed from person to person, drawing from their experiences and their approaches to life. But she could ask Ali about it later; for now she continued to sing.

"I am the voice in the wind and the pouring rain

I am the voice of your hunger and pain

I am the voice that always is calling you

I am the voice"

"I am the voice of the past that will always be

I am the voice of your hunger and pain

I am the voice of the future

I am the voice"

"I am the voice

I am the voice

I am the voice!"

With a final, crystal-clear note, Despina finished the song.

"That was amazing," breathed Ali, her eyes sparkling.

Pleased with Ali's reaction, Despina thanked her. Then she got back to business, determined to make sure Ali learned the song. She sang it once more on her own, and then had Ali sing with her several times. Finally, she listened to Ali sing it on her own. When she was satisfied, she nodded. "I think you've got it."

"I think so too."

"Lovely voice, as well. I wonder where you could have gotten that from."

"Let's see, constant practice, learning from my mom, music in my head…and I suppose genetics may have contributed too." Ali winked even as she lifted her head proudly. She thought her voice sounded nice with or without power in it.

Despina laughed. "All right, fair enough; you have your own voice." She took a slow breath in and out. "Now remember, you don't need to sing all of that song to get in contact with me. It works best when you do it in full, but a verse or two will do."

"Got it. So," Ali prodded. "Can we get back to the ship now?"

Despina puffed out a breath. "That ship is a ways away by now. It will take some time to catch up with it. Do you think you can manage without food for a day or two?"

"If it gets me to the ship, I'll put up with it."

Despina smiled. "I thought you'd say that." She turned so her back was facing Ali. "Hold onto my shoulders or my waist, whichever is a better grip. It was hard dragging you away from the black hole when you were just hanging below me. It'll be faster, and easier for me, if you're holding on instead."

Ali did as she said, pulling herself close to Despina as they went horizontal again, with Ali almost lying flat on top of her relative.

"Ready to go?" Despina asked.

"Beyond ready," Ali answered.

"I thought so." Despina looked over her shoulder at Ali. "Oh, and Ali?"

"Yeah?"

Despina smirked. "Don't ever call me Granny again."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 **Ali has a living relative after all—break out the firecrackers and party hats to celebrate! I've posted the full performance of Despina's communication song on my profile; it's a beautiful piece by Celtic Women.**

 **Review review review! :)** **I appreciate all my readers, silent or vocal, but it really makes my day when a reader leaves me feedback. Tell me what you think, even if it's just in a few words! Love and thanks to the readers who have been leaving feedback :D**


	11. A Song We Sing

**A couple of announcements:**

 **1) I start school this week, so I'm going to be a whole lot busier soon. I'll do my best to keep updating regularly, but there will be more time in between posting chapters.**

 **2) It is IMPORTANT that you check out the music for this chapter, if only the song that has lyrics. I'm using a cover of a certain song so that it fits with the story, and the lyrics are slightly altered.**

 **I encourage you to use the music that I've posted for every chapter; the term "mood music" doesn't exist for nothing ;). Now, read on!**

Chapter 11

Silver and Jim sat in the galley, peeling potatoes. Silver was using his cyborg hand as a peeler, while Jim made his contribution with a small knife.

Silver shot Jim a mournful glance, one of many recently. The night after they escaped the black hole, Silver had had a talk with Jim about the day's events. Jim seemed to have come to better terms with the loss of Mr. Arrow, but he was inconsolable about losing Ali. It had been two days, and the boy wouldn't speak to anyone but Silver, and even then only when he had to.

Jim stopped peeling and looked up, gazing through the holes in the grate above the galley. His blue eyes were darkened by a deep sadness.

For the past two days, he had been running through countless questions, thoughts and memories of Ali. He remembered the shy, too-skinny girl who had turned up at the inn six years ago. How she had eventually opened up and shown her incredible spirit. How she had trusted him and his mom with her past and her secrets. How she had become an irreplaceable part of home.

He wished he had spent more time with her before he had lost her. In the past few weeks he had been so caught up in his connection with Silver, he had neglected the person who had mattered to him far longer.

What was the last thing he had said to her? " _Your lifeline!"_ He wished he had made her come down and get a new lifeline. He wished he had dragged her down from those shrouds and tied her up so she wouldn't go back into the rigging.

 _Ali would probably scold me for thinking like this. She'd probably say it wasn't my fault._ Jim let his head droop down. _Too bad she's not here to tell me that._ A myriad of details about his friend rushed through his head. How she preferred singing sentimental music, especially love songs. How she had a smile ready for anyone who needed it, as well as a repertoire of cusses that could impress a sailor. How she could read him like an open book, and didn't give up when it took her some time to understand the words. How he had never envisioned a future that didn't have her in it. Now, though, he would have to start living that future.

He recalled when Ali said she had wanted something to remember her mother by. When he questioned her about saving his mom's locket, she had said, "I just get what it's like not to have a memento." Now he understood all too well how that felt.

ooOoo

"Stop here," Ali said quietly.

Despina halted, allowing Ali to get off her back and face her again.

Ali glanced over at the ship, now within much closer range. "Are you sure they can't see us from here?"

"Yes," Despina replied. "But why did you have me stop?"

"We need to figure out how we're going to do this." Ali paused. "Until we come within range of the watchman's telescope, we need to stay low. Otherwise we could have guns fired at us."

Despina winced. "We'll stay low, then. And once we're within range?"

Ali shrugged. "It won't matter much then. They'll know we're here, so we should be able to fly straight in."

"Can we make it dramatic?" Despina begged. "I hardly ever get to show off."

Ali laughed. "I wouldn't mind making a dramatic appearance. You need to make sure no one sees your face, though. I don't know what will happen if anyone on that ship links me to a sirenial."

"Got it." Despina moved behind Ali and wrapped her arms under the human girl's arms.

"Um, Despina? What exactly are you going to do?"

"You'll see."

ooOoo

Up in the crow's nest, Mr. Onus was laying back, the stalks of his many eyes drooping in different directions. On his left side, one of his eyes spotted a speck in the distance.

He picked up the telescope and raised it to his center eye. The contraption didn't help much in identifying the speck. Whatever it was, it was headed for the ship, and fast.

Lowering the telescope, he ran to the edge of the crow's nest. "Captain!" He shouted. "Unidentified object, approaching on the port side!"

As he repeated his call, it reached the ears of others on the boat. Sailors paused in their work to try and glimpse the reported object. Jim and Silver abandoned their potatoes at the sound of shouting and came up on deck. Finally Captain Amelia emerged from her cabin.

"What in blazes is going on?" She demanded.

"Something's coming in on the port side, Captain," Mr. Onus repeated.

"Well, what is it?"

Mr. Onus looked through the spyglass again. "Two people, it looks like, Captain. One of them flying, the other being carried."

Captain Amelia frowned. "What the devil…" At that moment, a soft melody came to her ears. It flowed over the deck and around each person like unseen mist, making conversation cease.

The music grew louder as the two figures reached the ship. They were one flier and one passenger, just as Mr. Onus had said. They hovered a dozen feet from the ship, and the music continued to flow, mysterious and beautiful.

Many on deck closed their eyes, mouths open as if drinking in the sound. Hardened sailors felt the music reach inside them and play their heartstrings. Even Captain Amelia's expression was uncharacteristically relaxed, her eyes looking at something far away.

The spell was promptly broken, however, as the flier swooped over and dropped her passenger straight down.

Ali yelped as she was dumped onto the hard wood of the deck. She made first contact on her rear end, and then let herself slip onto her back so the impact wouldn't cause any serious damage. Slowly she sat up, wondering where she would find bruises later.

"Did you have to just drop me like that?" She shouted.

"Sorry!" Despina called back. "Are you all right?"

The crew stared at the beautiful creature that floated above the deck. Her lithe figure was clothed in a shimmering gold dress, her feet bare. A curtain of blonde hair obscured her face, but every word from her mouth rang clear as a little bell.

Silver's eyes narrowed as he looked at her, but he said nothing.

"I'll be fine," Ali responded. "Thank you for all your help!"

"My pleasure. Good sailing to you, Ali!" With that, Despina turned and flew away.

Ali brushed herself off and got to her feet…only to be tackled by a very familiar boy.

At the sight of his best friend being dumped onto the ship, Jim had frozen, afraid to believe it. But then she had spoken, in that voice that was undeniably hers, and he'd found himself moving towards her. He didn't think he'd ever been so happy to see someone in his life. Now he wrapped his arms tight around her, squeezing like he never wanted to let go.

"Jim…I can't…breathe!" Ali gasped.

 _Oops_. "Sorry," he replied, loosening his hold a bit.

Ali breathed in and returned her friend's embrace, resting her cheek against his chest. Relief at being with him again washed through her, and she closed her eyes. "Oh, Jim, have I got a story for you," she whispered.

Jim pulled back to look at her. An elated grin dominated his face, but his eyes shimmered with moisture.

Ali's lips parted. "Jim, are you crying?" She said softly.

""I thought you were..." his voice caught. "I thought the black hole had gotten you. And now you're here."

Ali smiled. "Yeah, I'm here. And I missed you too, Jim." She pulled him back into a hug. "You know how I once said that you're too stubborn to die? Well, I'm too stubborn to go before my time."

"Miss Ali!" Silver lumbered over, and the two teenagers reluctantly released each other. "What a wonder to see you here, lass! We had all given you up for lost."

Ali exhaled. "So had I, at first. But I got lucky this time."

"What happened to you out there?" Jim asked.

"Indeed, Miss Wood, I believe we would all like an explanation," Captain Amelia said, a command posed as a request.

Ali told them a modified version of the story: she had been thrown off the ship without a lifeline—she made sure they knew that flying debris and her own choices had caused that—, farther from the black hole. A lone sirenial, a kind one, had rescued her, and Ali had eventually convinced the sirenial to bring her back to the ship.

An awed silence followed her story. It was a wild tale, but the beautiful woman and enchanting music from earlier certainly supported it. Everyone there—except maybe Delbert, who had appeared only moments after the captain—knew about sirenials, which also helped the story go down.

As Ali scanned the stunned faces around her, her stomach gave a loud rumble. She blanched and put a hand on her stomach. "Silver, can I have some food? It's been a while since I ate anything."

"Of course, lass! Come down to the galley and I'll fix something for you." Silver headed towards the stairs.

"Thank you." Ali started to follow him, but as she stepped forward, her knees buckled.

Jim caught her before she could hit the deck. "Are you ok?" He asked worriedly.

"I'm fine." Ali sighed. "I've been flying through space for the past two days, so my legs haven't gotten much use. That's all this is. Can you help me catch up with Silver?"

"No, Ali, I'm gonna leave you to crawl after him," Jim joked. He kept one arm around her waist to support her, and she wrapped an arm around his neck for better balance. Together they made their way to the mess deck. Rather than continue to the galley, though, Jim set Ali down at one of the tables.

Now seated, Ali rubbed at her legs and flexed her toes, hating the weakness she found in them. She huffed. "Take my advice, Jim, and don't spend entire days in open space."

Jim sat down beside her. "What was it like?"

"Terrifying, at first. I mean, I was alone and within range of a black hole." Ali bit her lip, the memory fresh in her mind. "I really thought I was going to die." Jim squeezed her hand in comfort, and she gave him a grateful smile. "After I was rescued, though, things changed. It's amazing out there, Jim! We flew past stars of all different sizes and nebulae in colors I never knew existed. There are plants that can survive on the most barren asteroids, and other beings that depend on those plants. And you know how we have these concepts of day and night, light and darkness? In some places the light never leaves. In those places the light is so vivid and bright, it's like a beacon."

Jim shook his head. "I wish I could've come with you."

Ali laughed. "That would be cool in theory. I don't think my rescuer could carry both of us. Speaking of which…" Ali looked at Jim head-on. "There's something else to my story. Something I didn't want the crew to know."

At that moment the galley door swung open, revealing Silver with a tray in his hands. He came over and set the tray on the table. Ali examined the contents of the tray. There was bread, purp juice, and what looked like Silver's bonzabeast stew.

Ali looked at the stew suspiciously. "You didn't put anything funny in here, did you?"

Silver adopted a wounded look. "Now, Miss Ali, would I do that to you?"

"Yes," Ali said flatly.

Silver chuckled. "You needn't worry; there's nothin' worth frettin' over in this batch."

Deciding not to question further, Ali dug in. After a few moments of shoveling food into her mouth, though, she forced herself to slow down. She had no desire to get indigestion.

"Geez, someone's hungry," Jim commented.

"I haven't eaten in two days, Jim. Of course I'm hungry." Ali took a sip of purp juice, relishing the cool liquid on her parched throat. "So, Silver, when do you want me to go back to work?"

Silver frowned. "Are you sure you're fit to be workin' right now, lass?"

"Well, maybe I could—"

"Ali, you couldn't even walk without help," Jim interrupted. "You need to take it easy."

Ali smiled. "And here I thought I was the caretaker of us two. All right, I'll take some time off."

Silver shook his head. "It's a strange t'ing when a young 'un always wants to work."

"I just like to stay busy," Ali protested. "I don't just work!" But Silver had already disappeared into the galley.

Ali rolled her eyes but returned to her food.

"Ali?"

Ali looked at Jim. "Yeah?"

"You were going to tell me something?" Jim prodded. "Something…" he glanced towards the galley and lowered his voice. "Something you didn't want the crew to know about?"

Ali gave a secretive smile. "Yeah." But she didn't elaborate. Jim hated being kept in the dark, and this was the perfect chance to mess with him.

"So what is it?"

"Well…you know, Jim…"

"What?"

"I'm not sure if I should even tell you…"

"Ali!" Jim hissed.

"Yes?" Ali said innocently.

"Come on." Jim made a face, and then added, "Please?"

"Well, all right, since you asked so nicely." Ali leaned closer to Jim. Her expression went from mischievous to awestruck. "I met my distant ancestor," she whispered.

Jim stared at her. "What?"

"She's the one who rescued me."

The gears in Jim's mind whirred. "You mean…the sirenial? She was _that_ ancestor?"

"Exactly. She's still alive, after all this time. And Jim, she looks just like me! You should've seen the moment when we came face to face." Quickly she filled him in on her conversation with Despina, keeping her voice soft. Silver was still in the galley, and she only wanted the people closest to her to know about this.

When she finished, Jim was silent for several moments. Then he grinned. "When you take a side trip, you don't mess around," he said in amazement.

Ali winked at him. "Of course not. If I did, I'd have to clean up the mess."

Jim groaned at her wordplay, but then laughed in spite of himself. As he watched her mop up her remaining stew with bits of bread, a new thought struck him.

"Ali, you said you haven't eaten for the past two days. What about sleep?"

Ali winced. "I tried to sleep at one point. It didn't end well." She had lost her grip on Despina's shoulders and gone tumbling backwards. After that, she had fiercely resisted the notion of rest.

Jim raised his eyebrows. "Then maybe you should get some sleep now."

"But it's hardly afternoon yet." Even as Ali said it, fatigue swept through her.

"Silver gave you the day off, didn't he?" Jim stood up and held out a hand to her. "Come on, I'll help you with your hammock."

With Ali's exhaustion and weakened legs, Jim's offer of help turned into him hanging up the hammock and Ali climbing in. As she lay her head down within the hanging fabric, Ali finally closed her eyes and allowed herself to rest.

Ali slept through the day and into the night. When she woke, it was morning, and she could hear Silver starting on breakfast. She sat up, stretched and flexed her legs until she was sure they would hold her, and headed to the galley.

ooOoo

Over the next few days, Jim's routine changed again. He used his breaks to visit Ali, and sat at the same table as her during meals. Most notably, he kept a much closer eye on her.

"Jim, take it easy," Ali chuckled one day as they scrubbed the upper deck. After getting lunch done early, Silver had sent her up to help Jim. "I'm not going to evaporate." She had caught Jim looking at her for the sixth time in the past five minutes.

Jim knew logically that Ali was back, that she was alive and well. It didn't stop him from sneaking countless glances at her, reassuring himself that she really was there.

He had told her what had happened with Mr. Arrow. The moment he finished, she insisted that it wasn't his fault. She told him he had done everything he could, adding that Arrow's lifeline might have been broken in the same way hers had. He was grateful for that suggestion. He couldn't feel ok about Arrow's death, but the idea of a cause that wasn't his fault eased his guilt a little.

In the meanwhile, Ali was acutely aware of the attention Jim paid to her. Much of it was a return to the amount of time they had spent together before the voyage. The watchfulness, however, was something new.

At first she was touched and somewhat amused by the attention. The times she caught him at it, she fired off teasing comments or just said gently, "I'm right here." She supposed if he had returned after she had thought him dead, she would be reassuring herself the same way he was.

But sometimes, she would catch him in a different kind of look, one that lasted longer than a simple "I'm checking up on you" glance. When this happened she would look away, fighting a blush, and wonder what he was thinking.

Keeping a close eye on Ali had Jim noticing things that he hadn't noticed before. Like how you could tell Ali's mood at a given moment by the music she was making. Or how her eyes shone like emeralds when she was genuinely happy. Or how months on the boat had shaped her physique, her slim legs toned underneath her leggings. He had to quickly halt his train of thought on that last detail.

Silver was glad Ali had survived, and glad for the effect her return had on Jim. He really was. But if there was any chance that they still had suspicions—about him, about the crew, about their real reason for being there—, he couldn't let them share those suspicions with each other. After a week he stuck Ali back in the kitchen full time and set Jim to grunt work, making sure they had none of the same breaks.

Two weeks later, Ali was stationed in the galley, listening to Silver's instructions for the night's meal. She sighed, wiping her sweaty brow with a spare rag.

The day had started out fairly well. She had been asked to make breakfast for Captain Amelia, which made her feel both honored and nervous. When she had brought the food up to the captain's cabin, Amelia had actually praised her on her cooking.

But then the sailor with multiple stomachs, who was apparently getting sick, had puked up his lunch. She had had to skip her own lunch to clean it up—not that she had an appetite at that point. Then he had puked again, right when she would have taken her longest break. Now she was stuck in the hot, stuffy galley, trying and failing to take in Silver's instructions. If she didn't get out of there soon, she felt she might burst.

As she watched Silver lay out ingredients for dinner, though, she got an idea. Fixing a grimace on her face, she pictured images of foods that grossed her out to make her act more convincing. "Silver? That's not cassava root, is it?"

Silver turned around at Ali's tone. The girl was staring at said item like it might bite her. "Aye, it is. Is that a problem?"

"You could say that. The thing is…I'm allergic to cassava."

Silver frowned. "How allergic?"

Ali winced. "Let's put it this way: the last time I tried to cook with it, my stomach got empty real quick."

Silver's eyebrows shot up. The last thing he wanted was someone tossing their innards in the galley; they'd had enough of that on the mess deck. "You better get on out of here, then. Get some fresh air. I'll make your grub without the cassava."

"Fresh air would be helpful. Thanks, Silver."

"I'm doin' both of us a favor, Miss Ali," Silver replied.

Ali laughed. "Yeah, I guess you are." With that, she turned and headed out the door.

ooOoo

Jim sat quietly in one of the shrouds, alone on deck but for Mr. Turnbuckle, who was occupied at the wheel. The other sailors usually on deck about now had made off with a cask of ale, retreating inside the ship in an effort not to get caught. Jim was supposed to be keeping watch, but his thoughts weren't on the night sky. Instead, they were focused around a certain blonde-haired girl.

He had found himself thinking about Ali more and more often as the days passed. Losing her and then getting her back had shown him that he was lucky to have her. When he looked at her, his eyes would often linger for longer than was necessary. Ali sometimes caught him at it. The first time she caught him, she had blinked and quickly looked away, and Jim had been surprised to see her cheeks turn pink. She looked pretty when she blushed. Not that she wasn't pretty when she wasn't blushing…

"Hey, sailor!" A voice brought him back to his current location. "Any dangers on the horizon?"

He turned to find Ali standing on the deck, hands propped on her hips. He grinned and hopped down from the shroud. "Does open space count as a danger?"

"Only if you get the urge to jump off the ship," Ali replied breezily. "Are you on watch?"

"Yep. What are you doing up here, though?"

"I had to get out of the galley because Silver was cooking with cassava root. You know how allergic I am to cassava." She patted her stomach with a meaningful look. She didn't want anyone hearing that she had fibbed, in case it got back to Silver.

"Oh yeah, it's not pretty when you get close to that stuff," Jim said, taking the hint.

Ali giggled and took her hands off her hips. Closing her eyes, she started a wordless melody, tapping her foot to keep the beat.

"Do you ever stop singing?" Jim laughed.

Ali opened her eyes. "I have lately. I haven't been in a position to sing since we got on this ship. All I've done is hum, and even that gets interrupted every two minutes by Silver's cooking instructions. Just let me have my fun now, ok?"

Jim smirked. "Fine, go nuts."

"Thank you." Ali abandoned her previous melody, and started another song.

"When your legs don't work like they used to before

And I can't sweep you off of your feet

Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love?

Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks?"

"And darling, I will be loving you 'til we're seventy

And baby, my heart could still fall as hard at twenty-three

And I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways

Maybe just a touch of the hand

Well, me, I fall in love with you every single day

And I just wanna tell you I am"

"So honey now

Take me into your loving arms

Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars

Place your head on my beating heart

I'm thinking out loud

Maybe we found love right where we are"

Ali started moving in time with the music, humming the instrumental part. Jim laughed as he watched her. Ali had no idea how to dance. She was just making up moves, even if it made her look goofy. She shot him a happy smile, and the glint in her eyes—emeralds—made his laugh hitch in his throat.

"When my hair's all but gone and my memory fades

And the crowds don't remember my name

When my hands don't play the strings the same way

I know you will still love me the same"

"Cause honey, your soul could never grow old, it's evergreen

And baby, your smile's forever in my mind and memory

I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways

Maybe it's all part of a plan

Me, I keep on making the same mistakes

Hoping that you'll understand"

Ali closed her eyes again. Arms out slightly, she started spinning, twirling in time with the music that was both inside and outside her head. A few moments later, however, she spun right into Jim. Her friend stumbled and made a startled noise, but caught her by the shoulders to steady her.

Ali opened her eyes to thank him…and realized how close they were. They stood toe-to-toe, faces inches apart. Her eyes were drawn to his lips, and her face reddened. But she didn't step back, or say anything. She just kept singing.

"But, baby, now

Take me into your loving arms

Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars

Oh darling, place your head on my beating heart

I'm thinking out loud

Maybe we found love right where we are"

Jim shivered, feeling Ali's breath on his neck as she sang. He was finding it very hard to think.

"We found love right where we are"

Ali's voice had grown softer as the song came to a close. Now she voiced the last line, almost whispering:

"We found love right where we are…"

Her voice trailed off into silence. Her heart was hammering in her chest. Almost unconsciously, her hands moved to rest on Jim's shoulders. And now Jim was leaning in, tilting his face down towards hers.

"Ali," he murmured. "I…"

As she felt his breath on her lips, Ali looked up, into his glorious blue eyes.

Dazed blue eyes.

 _No!_ She reeled back, hands flying to cover her mouth.

"Ali?" Jim frowned, confusion sweeping over him. He took a step toward her. At the same time, she took a step back, and a bit of hurt joined his confusion. "What's wrong?"

Ali could barely think, could only panic as the implications of what she must have done hit her. "Oh stars, no," she whispered.

Jim's stomach plummeted. Apparently he had made a mistake. "I'm sorry," he muttered, turning away from her stricken face.

"Jim, no! You don't understand. I'm the one who needs to apologize." Ali said the last part harshly, more to herself than to him.

Jim turned to face her again, more confused than ever. "What are you talking about?"

Ali's hands were fisted under her chin now, fingernails digging into her palms. "I used higher-level sirenial song. I didn't mean to, I didn't even realize it, but…" she squeezed her eyes shut, face crumpling as she tried not to cry.

"Hang on, how do you know—" Jim stepped closer and reached towards her. She backed out of his reach, though, and tears started to leak from the corners of her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Jim," she choked out. "I'm sorry." She turned and ran, needing somewhere, anywhere to hide.

Jim could only stare after her, mouth open. He wanted to follow her, but bewildered shock had frozen him in place.

His mind was furiously trying to figure out what had just happened. His emotions weren't helping; they muddled his thoughts like fog on a window.

He had felt a lot of things during Ali's song: fondness, fascination, giddiness, and when she had gotten close to him, longing. And he _had_ felt them more strongly than usual. But, Ali hadn't really used her sirenial power on him…had she?

ooOoo

Ali wanted to kick herself. She wanted to kick herself somewhere painful. Not that it would do any good, but still. She sank deeper into the longboat, hugging her knees to her chest.

Thinking about Jim had been puzzling lately. She could call him her best friend without hesitation, but there was something about him lately that caught her off-balance. There was the funny feeling she had gotten when he held her hand before the longboat ride. And how it only took a look into his eyes for her to regain control during the supernova. And, most recently, the feeling when she returned to the ship and saw him again: relief so strong it was almost painful, and a sense of coming home again.

All these clues had been right in front of her face, practically spelled out for her. But it was only tonight that she had been able to make sense of them.

So yes, she had…feelings for Jim. Strong feelings. And if she had played her cards right, maybe something would have come out of it. But she had just ruined that possibility.

At the beginning of her song, she had just been having fun; it had been great to really sing after so much time without it. That song was one of her favorites, which only added to the fun.

But then she had ended up so close to Jim. It had happened so suddenly, and her emotions had really flared up. She had felt giddy, thrilled, and somehow safe alongside that thrill. And looking at his mouth, she had _really_ wanted to kiss him.

But knowing what she had done changed everything. Jim had acted like their proximity was also affecting him, like he wanted to kiss her too. But with her sirenial power involved, she couldn't trust that.

Maybe he had actually liked her. But even if he had, she doubted he felt that way anymore.

And what did this mean for them as friends? Ali slumped down a little further.

 _Let's think about it. I blatantly hit on my best friend. I made him feel emotions that weren't his own, compelling him to do things he wouldn't normally do. I don't know how much, if any, of his feelings back there were his own, and he probably doesn't know either._

Ali couldn't see their friendship coming out of this unscathed. Even if they claimed they were still friends, there would be a wall standing between them. Jim would have a hard time trusting her, and she would feel constantly guilty and afraid of something happening again. There was also the issue of her one-sided feelings for Jim.

 _"Friendship" would just be a title._ What was the use in keeping up a façade? Ali bit back a sob, and the sound escaped as a whimper.

Ali didn't want to lose her best friend. The thought of it was like an icicle inside of her, making chilling cuts in her heart. She wished she knew a way to fix this.

But she didn't know a way. What could she do that wouldn't just make things worse? She couldn't influence negative emotions, only positive ones. And look where that had gotten her.

Letting it come gradually would cause a lot of prolonged pain. She didn't want that for either of them. Better to make it a clean break.

She needed to separate herself from Jim.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 **This turned into a very dramatic chapter O_o. Well, I am adding romance to a sci-fi adventure; I suppose it's a given that drama would ensue.**

 **Please leave a review! With how busy I'm about to become, I'll need the encouragement to keep writing!**


	12. Crash and Burn

**_ATTENTION! ATTENTION! Yes, YOU_! I've been thinking of writing some Solace one-shots; scenes and episodes that I wanted to write but that wouldn't fit into the story. I already have a few ideas, but I'm also taking suggestions from readers. If you have any ideas that you want to contribute, shoot me a message or put it in a review!**

 **No music for this chapter. It was either post it without music or take another week to find a song for it, and I figured you'd all prefer the former. Now, read on!**

Chapter 12

"Ali, can I talk to you?"

Ali didn't look up from the soup she was stirring. "Jim, I have to get lunch ready."

"Can't you spare a minute?"

"I'm sorry Jim, I'm too busy right now." Ali added a few herbs to the soup.

"Ali, please—"

"Now Jimbo, give it a rest." Silver stepped away from his own set of pots, putting his human hand on Jim's shoulder. "You heard Miss Ali; she's got work to do. You can speak with her later. I can't have you distractin' my only galley help. Go on now, afore I decide I should replace this break of yours with more work."

Jim reluctantly did as he was told, eyes on the floor. Ali watched him go through her curtain of hair.

She didn't understand why he was doing this. She would have thought he'd be avoiding her. Instead, he had tried to start a conversation with her at least once a day for the past week.

Maybe he was trying to fix things between them. While it was a sweet idea, Ali knew it would do no good in the long run. Or maybe he just wanted more of an explanation about that night under the stars. There was something Ali was keen to avoid. It would bring up all kinds of humiliating questions, even more so if Jim expressed hurt or anger or… _Stop that!_ Ali cut off the thought. _Stop, stop, stop! You're supposed to be pulling away from him, remember?_ It was taking all of her self-control to stay composed around Jim, but her heart was screaming at her to forget self-control.

Jim stood at the side of the boat, resting his arms on the edge. He absentmindedly twisted a bit of rope between his hands.

He needed to talk to Ali about that night on deck. It wasn't a subject he wanted to bring up with others around, though. Unfortunately, it was now hard to get Ali to speak to him at all, let alone in a private conversation. She sat as far from him as possible during meals, and would disappear after dinner, apparently only coming to bed after he was asleep. And whenever he tried to visit her in the galley, she was always "too busy." If that had been her only excuse, he probably would have talked to her anyway; but there was the matter of Silver, who was also working and within earshot every time.

Jim sighed and tucked the rope into his pocket, knowing his break was over. As for things with Ali…he'd just have to keep trying.

ooOoo

Ali opened her eyes and was greeted by light spilling into the room. She yawned and looked around. The other sailors were still asleep.

Ali stretched her arms with a soft sigh. The light from outside was the soft, pale light that came before dawn. She was awake earlier than usual, but she knew she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep. _Might as well get a head start on breakfast. Maybe I can save something good for myself this time._

She swung her legs out of her hammock and pulled on her shoes. As she did, she spotted a flash of pink. Turning to her right, she spotted Morph by Jim's hammock, giggling next to the sleeping boy. As she watched, the little blob picked up Jim's right boot and hid it near a trunk in the corner. Still giggling, he stretched and twisted himself into a replica of the shoe, then settled down next to Jim's left boot.

Ali shook her head in amusement. Morph's antics never seemed to end. Where he got the constant energy for it, she had no idea.

As she stood up, though, Mr. Snuff—who slept in the hammock above Jim's—went into a loud round of snoring, Flatula style. Several of his tentacles dropped out of his hammock, slapping Jim in the face. Jim jolted awake, trying to bat away the tentacles, and fell out of his hammock.

Ali froze, but Jim seemed too out of it to notice her for the moment. She watched him pull on his left boot, and wondered if Morph would make a move. Sure enough, Morph hopped out of Jim's reach, bouncing up and behind the earlier-mentioned chest.

"Morph?" Jim said groggily. He ran a hand over his face and got to his feet, lurching towards the trunk. He reached it and half-collapsed to his knees, turning his head searchingly. "Morph, knock it off, it's too early for this."

Morph flew out, still in boot form, and gave Jim a sound kick in the backside.

"Ow!" Jim exclaimed, jerking around. "Hey! Morph!"

Morph blew a raspberry at Jim and changed back into his blob form, giggling furiously. He picked up Jim's real boot and zipped away.

At another time, Ali would have found the scene immensely funny. But right now, Jim and Morph would wake everyone up if they didn't quiet down. The last thing they—or she—needed was for the crew to be angry with them.

So as Morph flew by her, she lunged forward and snatched the boot away from him. "Come on, Morph, it really is too early to mess around." Morph whimpered sadly, and Ali's heart melted a little. "Hey, it was a good idea. Just save the jokes for later, ok?"

Morph squeaked and licked her face, apparently cheered. Ali smiled, watching him come to perch on her shoulder…and then realized she had to give Jim his boot back.

She stepped towards Jim, who was staring at her, and held the boot out. "Here."

He took it from her slowly and pulled it on, apparently at a loss. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

A few awkward seconds passed in silence. "Excuse me," Ali finally said, and moved toward the galley. Morph flattened himself and slipped under the galley door, likely looking for food.

Jim blinked and started after her. "Ali, hold on…"

"You should get some more sleep while you still can, Jim."

"What about you?" Jim had reached her left side and was walking next to her.

"I'm usually up early. And I'm busy—"

"Why do you always say that lately?"

Ali avoided his eyes. "Because it's true. I'm cooking for a whole ship full of people. So if you'll excuse me…" She strode through the galley door.

But Jim moved faster. He followed her into the galley and then stepped in front of her, turning to face her. "Ali, you can't keep avoiding me. We need to talk."

"Jim…" Ali looked at the floor. She wished Silver were here to put off Jim from pressing her. She _really_ didn't want to have this conversation. But she knew he was right. And as she considered his words, she felt a stab of guilt. She did owe it to him to say _something._

 _Stupid conscience._ Ali breathed in, eyes still lowered. _Just get it over with._ "I'm sorry about what happened last week, Jim."

"Ali…"

"I didn't mean to use my power. My emotions just carried me away and, well…projected how I felt."

"Ali…"

"And I understand if you don't feel the same way about me, I mean it would make sense—"

Jim put a hand over her mouth, making her stop her speech and look up in surprise. " _Ali_. Would you please stop for a minute and let me say something?"

Ali nodded slowly. Dread coiled tight in her stomach.

Jim took his hand away. "You think you used your power on me that night. I'm telling you that you didn't."

This was not what Ali had expected. "You… you can't possibly know that. You don't know—"

"Don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about, Ali," Jim said sharply. "I'm not stupid. I was there when it happened."

Ali lowered her head in chagrin, and some of Jim's indignation faded. He sighed. "Look, I know what your power feels like, and it wasn't there that night. The way I felt then, I've felt before. I've felt it when you weren't singing, or humming, or anything."

Ali sucked in a breath. The dread inside her was replaced by shock, and a timid hope. She was afraid to take on it so quickly; afraid it would be for nothing. Misplaced hope was painful. _But…what if…_

Jim saw Ali's eyes widen. Maybe he was getting through to her. With that thought, he ploughed on. "The things I did, that night on the deck, those were all me. I really did want to…" Jim faltered, his cheeks coloring. "To kiss you."

Ali stared at him. "You did?" Her voice was small.

"Yeah." Jim looked away shyly, and then back at Ali. "I still want to."

Jim's confession had added a whole new set of implications to the situation. Ali wanted to believe him, to stop the charade of avoiding him. She wanted him back. At the same time, a voice in her head was insisting that he was confused, that they would both get hurt if she believed him.

But then she realized she had seen evidence for his claim. There was the unbridled emotion he had shown when she returned to the ship alive; not the kind of emotion you would display for just a friend. Silver had told Ali the effect her disappearance had had on Jim—how he, to quote Silver, "was all but mute with grief!"

Then there were the long looks he gave her in the most mundane moments. The _way_ he would watch her, with an expression that mixed happiness and worry. Like he was glad to see her, but afraid she wouldn't be there the next time he checked. And of course, there was his persistence in trying to talk to her the past week.

Finally, Ali made a choice: she let the hope grow. Better to take it while it was there. "What if I said I want to kiss you too?"

It was Jim's turn to stare. He had hoped to reconcile with Ali and, if he was lucky, ease her into the possibility of being more than friends. He hadn't expected such a bold declaration of interest.

Eventually he managed to give an answer. "I guess we'd both have to prove our words." He stepped closer to Ali.

Ali mimicked Jim's action, smiling slightly, until she was close enough to count his eyelashes. "Shouldn't be too hard." She once again rested her hands on his shoulders.

As they leaned even closer, however, footsteps sounded from the mess deck. The two teenagers froze.

"Uh oh," Ali whispered.

"What?" Jim was annoyed about the interruption, but Ali looked downright uneasy.

Ali pulled away from him and moved to the door, squinting through the side crack. She could see the majority of the crew on their feet, headed towards the galley. Their footsteps were soft, and none of them uttered a sound. "Jim, I think we're in trouble."

Jim frowned. "What do you mean?"

Ali shushed him. "No one has come to the galley before except you, Silver or Morph. Right now we have most of the crew headed over. And they've never been this quiet, no matter what they're doing."

She peered through the crack again. The sailors were closer now, enough to bring their features into focus. Her unease tripled as she found Scroop in the group.

She backed away and faced Jim again. "We need to get out of sight. And _please_ , keep quiet." She scanned the room for something they could both hide in. There! A large barrel stood on one side of the room. They would just fit inside.

She grabbed Jim's arm and hurried towards the barrel. Jim kept pace with her, but he had his doubts. When they reached the barrel, he hesitated, looking at it skeptically.

"Come on, Jim, get inside!"

Jim took in her pleading expression, considering the situation. It was possible that Ali was overreacting. But then again, the crew didn't exactly like either her or him. If they got the chance to gang up on the two of them, who knew what would happen?

So, without further ado, he hopped into the barrel. Ali followed and plopped down next to him, landing on a layer of purps. Morph came down last, perching again on Ali's shoulder. A moment later, the galley door swung open.

Ali peered through a slit in the side of the barrel, Jim beside her, as a voice whispered, "All we're sayin' is we're sick of all this waiting,"

"There's only four of them left," rumbled another voice.

"We are wanting to move!" A third voice exclaimed.

Ali frowned. _Who are they talking to?_

Her question was answered when a cyborg arm snapped into sight. Ali muffled a gasp with her hand.

"We don't move 'til we got the treasure in hand!" Silver's voice sounded in the galley, emphasized by the clenching of his mechanical hand.

"I say we kill them all now," Scroop's words sounded like rocks grinding together.

"I say what's to say!" Silver's cyborg hand closed around Scroop's face and yanked him savagely down. Scroop struggled against the hand, making choking noises. Silver moved his hand to the back of Scroop's neck and lifted him off his feet, glaring nose to nose at him. "Disobey my orders again like that stunt you pulled with Mr. Arrow, and you'll be joining him!" He threw Scroop against the barrel.

The impact jolted the barrel from side to side. Ali and Jim braced each other by the arms to keep from knocking around, and Morph shot into Ali's dress pocket. Ali was quickly putting together Silver's statement. _Scroop killed Mr. Arrow?_

"Strong talk," Scroop said. "But I know otherwise." He reached one red claw into the barrel, pincers working. Knowing what he was looking for, Jim picked up a purp and held it under the claw.

Scroop grasped the purp and pulled it out of the barrel. "It's that _boy_ ," he whispered. "Methinks you have a soft spot for him." He punctured a hole in the purp, driving his point home.

Ali thought she saw panic flash across Silver's face before his expression hardened again. "Now, mark me, the lot of you," he growled to the crew. "I care about one t'ing and one t'ing only: Flint's trove! You think I'd risk it all for the sake of some nose-wiping little whelp?"

"What was it now?" Scroop said mockingly. "'You got the makin's of greatness in you…"

Ali had no idea what he was talking about, but it seemed to mean something to Jim, who stiffened beside her.

"Shut your yap!" Silver snapped back. "I cozied up to that kid to keep him off our scent. But I ain't gone soft."

A sudden cry came from above: "Land ho!" Excited by the news, the sailors in the galley rushed up to the deck to see for themselves.

 _Not just sailors; pirates. This ship is being crewed by pirates._ Silver was a pirate. Anger and dismay shot through her. She thought of how she'd begun to respect and even appreciate Silver. She remembered her father's ship, ruined and empty, and the Benbow Inn burning to the ground. As wary as Ali had been of Silver in the beginning, she hadn't been expecting something like this.

One look at Jim, though, proved that her inner turmoil was nothing compared to his. His eyes were full of shock and hurt, and he squeezed them shut as the feeling of betrayal washed through him in full force. The sight was enough to break Ali's heart. _Another father figure who let him down._

"What kind of mess have we fallen into?" She whispered. She climbed out of the barrel, though her limbs felt as heavy as lead, and held a hand out to Jim. He took it and pulled himself out, looking shell-shocked.

"Jim," Ali said softly. "The captain needs to know about this. We need to tell her now."

Jim nodded, pulling himself together for the moment. Together they hurried through the mess deck. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, however, a shadow loomed over them.

Silver stood at the top of the stairs, looking at them in surprise. "Jimbo. Miss Ali."

Ali's mind scrambled to make up an explanation. "Oh, there you are, Silver," she said, faking a smile. "I've been looking for you everywhere, even had to drag Jim along with me for help. We were just checking down in the lower deck."

Silver tilted his head. "Were you now? Seems an awful unlikely place for me to be this time of day." He stepped down the stairs as the two teenagers backed away. "Playin' games, are we?"

"Yeah," Jim scowled. "Yeah, we're playing games."

They were backed into a table now. Ali groped behind her, hoping for a stray knife, dirty silverware, _anything_ that might serve as a weapon. Her fingers brushed up against cold metal. She glanced back to see a small, sharp utensil that she used to de-seed purps. Quickly she slipped it into Jim's hand.

"Well, I was never much good at games," Silver said slowly. "Always hated to lose."

Jim lunged, brandishing the little blade. "Me too!" He stabbed it into Silver's cyborg leg. As steam shot out of the contraption and Silver cried out, Ali and Jim dashed around him and up the stairs.

Together they ran to the captain's cabin, bursting in and slamming the door behind them. As the door closed, Ali heard Silver's shout: "Change in plan, lads; we move now!"

Delbert and Captain Amelia looked understandably surprised to have the cabin boy and kitchen girl barge in on them during…whatever they were doing. Ali looked at the maps and diagrams scattered on the table and concluded they were discussing astrological aspects of the voyage.

"What in blazes—" Captain Amelia started.

"The crew is a pirate crew," Jim interrupted. "Everyone but us."

"And they're mutinying right now," Ali added frantically.

Amelia's eyes widened and then abruptly narrowed. "Pirates on my ship! I'll see they all hang." The captain threw a cupboard open, revealing a chest and several pistols. She loaded one and tossed it to Delbert. "Doctor, familiar with these?"

Delbert caught it clumsily. "Oh, I've seen…well, I've read about…" he was cut off as he accidentally shot the lantern by Amelia's head to pieces. "Uh, no. No, I'm not."

Amelia rolled her eyes, lifting the treasure map out of its little chest. As she did, Morph flew close and studied the sphere, oohing.

The lock on the cabin door sparked and glowed red with heat. Someone was trying to burn through it.

"Mr. Hawkins," Jim turned to the captain. She held out the map. "Defend this with your life."

She tossed it to him, but before he could grab it, Morph caught it in his mouth.

"Morph!" Ali cried. "Give that back!" She wrenched the map out of his mouth and tossed it to Jim, who slipped it into his pocket.

The sparks from the door intensified. "We have to go!" Ali said urgently.

"Right." The captain shot a continuous laser beam from her rifle, tracing a circular hole in the floor. She and the others dropped through that hole one by one, landing in the lower deck.

As they ran, Ali heard the pirates coming up behind them. Amelia waited until everyone was through a doorway and then shut the door with the jerk of a lever, welding it shut with a blast from her rifle. "To the longboats, quickly!" She ordered.

They ran the remaining distance and climbed into the nearest longboat. Amelia pulled the lever that would open the hatch under the boat, and then hopped in with another show of feline agility.

"Morph, no!" Ali turned to find Jim grasping for Morph, who had stolen the map from his pocket. As the blob zipped away, giggling, Jim jumped off the boat in hot pursuit.

"Jim!" Ali called after him, but he didn't turn around. She prepared to jump after him, but then a roar behind her told her she had other problems. Grabbing one of the pistols Amelia had brought with them, she aimed it toward the oncoming pirates. With a glance at Amelia—who was already shooting and shouting curses at the pirates—and a little guesswork, she loaded her pistol and fired. The shot hit a large pipe, which came loose from the wall and fell on top of several pirates' heads.

Delbert did one better. He fired a shot that hit the wiring of a huge metal contraption on the ceiling. The thing fell through the wooden walkway by the longboat, sending at least four pirates tumbling through the hatch.

"Did you actually aim for that?" Amelia asked, dry amusement in her tone.

"You know, actually, I did!" Delbert replied, staring at his pistol like he couldn't quite believe it.

Ali shook her head…and then ducked to avoid a shot that would have hit her face. Was it just her, or was it getting darker in here?

She looked down to find the hatch closing and the longboat moving slowly away from it, pulled by the attached cable. She cursed; someone must have pulled the lever that controlled it.

"Ah, blast it!" Amelia had noticed the change too. "Doctor," She nodded to Delbert, "when I say 'now,' shoot at the forward cable. I'll take this one." She pointed to the cable behind her.

Ali released a panicked sound. Where the hell was Jim? What if he didn't get back in time?

"Morph!" Ali whipped around at the sound of that voice, and spotted Jim on another walkway. At least he was nearby.

Her bit of relief was wiped away when Silver appeared on the other end of the walkway. With Morph—and the map—between them, the two males started to compete, each trying to entice Morph into bringing the map to them. When playful calls turned into shouting, Morph seemed to make a decision, diving into a nearby coil of rope.

Silver's cyborg leg gave out on him, still damaged, and he crawled towards the coil. Just as he was reaching out, however, Jim snatched the map up and ran for the longboat.

Ali saw Silver change his cyborg arm into an enormous gun, aiming it straight at Jim. Before she could react, though, Silver hesitated and deactivated the gun, looking frustrated. Ali's lips parted. _What…_

But then Amelia shouted, "Now!" and Ali had no time to think. Jim jumped for the boat just as it was shot loose from the cables, but only managed to grasp the edge of the craft and hang on for dear life.

As the longboat freefell through the air, Ali moved to pull Jim inside. When Delbert beat her to it, however, she hurried to help Amelia with the sails. Those open, Amelia started the engine and launched them forward, the boat now flying instead of falling.

Unfortunately, that status didn't last long. A laserball shot straight at them, setting the sails on fire and smashing the stern* to pieces. Once again they fell towards Treasure Planet, crashing through dense foliage as Amelia attempted to steer them through. Ali screamed as the longboat hit the ground, flipping over and skidding to a stop.

After a few dazed moments, Ali straightened and lifted the edge of the boat, Jim doing the same. Together they pulled it up and then pushed it back so it was lying on one side, no longer covering its passengers.

Jim rubbed his neck with one hand, wincing. Ali herself had a throbbing pain on the back of her head; she had probably banged it during the crash.

"Goodness," Delbert gasped, getting to his feet. "That was more fun than I ever want to have again."

"Not one of my gossamer landings," Amelia said with a wry chuckle. As she got to her feet, however, she clutched her side, collapsing to her knees with a cry of agony.

"Captain!" Delbert exclaimed. He, Ali and Jim gathered around Amelia, carefully helping her up again.

"Don't fuss," Amelia insisted, although her voice was pained. She swayed backwards into Delbert's grasp before regaining her balance. "A slight bruising, that's all. A cup of tea and I'll be right as rain. Mr. Hawkins, the map, if you please."

Jim pulled the map out of his pocket. Ali sighed in relief. At least they still had that much.

But then the map levitated off of Jim's hand. The pieces separated and swirled around…before turning into a familiar pink blob.

"Morph! Morph, where's the map?" Jim exclaimed.

Morph turned into a coil of rope and showed a miniature version of the map going into the coil.

"Are you serious? It's back on the ship?" Jim shouted.

Ali watched Morph fly around them, chattering and giggling. She rather felt like screaming herself. Why, oh, _why_ did Morph have to pull a prank now of all times?

Suddenly Ali heard a soft roaring sound—an engine. Amelia seemed to hear it too. She ordered them all, "Stifle that blob and get low. We've got company."

Ali grabbed Morph with both hands and crouched down under the wrecked longboat. Overhead was the second longboat, apparently searching for a place to land.

"We need a more defensible position," Amelia said after a minute. She handed Jim a pistol. "Mr. Hawkins, scout ahead."

Jim took the pistol. "Aye, captain," he said grimly.

"I'm going too," Ali declared. "I have another pistol."

Amelia stared at her. "Miss Wood…you are—"

"Of no use here," Ali interrupted. "I've got good senses. And isn't it better to have two scouts? That way, if…" Ali swallowed. "If something happens to one of us, the other person can help."

The captain stared for another moment, then nodded. "Very well. Get going, you two."

Ali nodded. She and Jim started walking, Morph floating alongside them. But as she glanced back, she saw Amelia collapse again, Delbert catching her and lowering her to the ground. She clenched her fist and faced forward again, feet still moving.

 _Please let us make it out of this._

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

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	13. Soft Spots

**Hi all! There are several songs used in this chapter. You can find the links to them on my profile, as per usual.**

 **Please leave a review after reading! I work very hard on this story, and I love hearing what y'all have to say about it. Even a short comment can make me super happy and helps to keep my pleasure in writing the story alive. With that in mind, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

Chapter 13

Ali eased her body over another large clump of roots. Her green eyes scanned the area around her. Treasure Planet's plants all seemed to be one type of fungi or another, from the tall, capped trees above them to the clumps that grew in the dirt like swatches of carpet.

She looked at Jim, who walked next to her. "See anything promising?" They needed somewhere that was large and secure enough for herself, Jim, the captain and Delbert to hide in.

Jim shook his head. "Nothing yet. Just a lot of oversized mushrooms."

Ali sighed. "All right…let's keep looking." She and Jim seemed to have reached an unspoken agreement: survival was first priority. They could deal with their personal lives later. For now, they were treating each other like their friendship was the same as ever.

Ali fingered the pistol in her hand. She grimaced, feeling the cold, unforgiving metal against her skin. She didn't like guns. With the position they were in, though, she much preferred to be armed.

Suddenly Jim's arm was blocking her way, forcing her to stop walking. "Jim?"

Jim shushed her. "I heard something over there," he said softly, nodding to a clump of hollow pipe-like plants on the right.

Ali's eyes widened, and she nodded. Together she and Jim loaded their pistols. Even Morph was unusually quiet as they crept towards the spot. When they were perhaps a foot away, they stopped, leaned towards the reeds…and a screaming face appeared in front of them.

Ali reeled back with a scream of her own, dropping her pistol and toppling ungracefully onto her butt. Jim jumped back, also shouting, and was tackled to the ground.

"Oh, this is fantastic!" the robot on top of Jim—for it was, undeniably, a robot—exclaimed. "A carbon-based life form, come to rescue me at last!" The robot was about Jim's height and very rusty, with binocular-like eyes and what seemed to be a compass covering its chest. Several colorful wires protruded from the back of its head.

It released its grasp on Jim's arms and leaned back, and Jim tried to get up. He was both helped and hindered as the robot gripped his torso and lifted him up in an incredibly enthusiastic hug. "I just wanna hug you and squeeze you and hold you close to me!" The robot said with relish.

Ali got to her feet, her pistol forgotten for the moment. She watched, gaping, as Jim tried several times to escape the robot's grip, only to have the metal man latch onto him again.

"Will you _let go_ of me?" Jim exclaimed.

Ali stepped forward and yanked at the bot's arm. "Hey metal head, get off him!"

The bot turned its gaze on her. "There are two of you? Oh my goodness, this is incredible!" With that, he jumped off of Jim and onto Ali, wrapping all four of his limbs around her.

"Hey, hey, hey!" She protested, prying the robot off. "A little personal space, please!"

"Oh, sorry, sorry," the bot said sheepishly. "It's just, I've been marooned for so long. I mean, solitude's fun, don't get me wrong," He put an arm around Ali's shoulders, leaning in like a comrade confiding in an old friend. "But for heaven's sakes, after a hundred years...YOU GO A LITTLE NUTS!" His last words were shouted, with a few gears flying from his head. He stepped back, looking embarrassed, and held out a hand. "I am…" He frowned. "My name is…uhh…"

Ali turned towards Jim and Morph, eyebrows shooting up towards her hairline. Morph seemed to agree with her assessment. He turned into a replica of the robot, making the top of its head swing open and a bird pop out with a "cuckoo!"

Jim put a hand on Morph and pushed down to make him return to his blob form, just as the bot had a breakthrough. "B.E.N.!" The robot exclaimed. "Of course, I'm B.E.N.! Bio-Electronic Navigator." He slapped the compass on his chest. "And you are?"

Ali stepped sideways towards Jim, still a little unnerved by the robot. "I'm Ali."

"I'm Jim," Jim added, bending to pick up their pistols.

B.E.N. grabbed one of each teenager's hands and shook them vigorously. "Nice to meet you, Ali and Jimmy."

"It's Jim," Jim replied shortly. He nudged Ali, holding out her pistol. She took it, and the two of them started to walk away. "Look, we're kind of in a hurry. We need a place to hide and there's pirates chasing us—"

"Oh, pirates!" B.E.N. interrupted. "Don't get me started on pirates! I don't like them. I remember Captain Flint; this guy had such a temper!"

Ali whipped around to face the robot. "You knew Captain Flint?"

"I think he suffered from mood swings, personally. I'm not a therapist, but anyway…you let me know when I'm rambling."

 _Too late for that,_ Jim noted wryly. "Well, but that means…you gotta know about the treasure!"

"Treasure?"

"Yeah, Flint's trove, you know? Loot of a thousand worlds?"

"It's all a little fuzzy," B.E.N. replied. "Wait, I remember. Treasure, lots of treasure!" An image of a heaping treasure chest appeared in his eyes. "Buried in the centroid…centroid of the mechanism!" He appeared to malfunction slightly, voice going deep and then high again. "And there was this big door, opening and closing and opening and closing! And Captain Flint wanted to make sure no one ever got his treasure, so I helped him…" The malfunctions got worse. Little bolts of electricity sparked out of his head, which was rotating 360 degrees. "Inaccessible! Reboot! Reboot! Reboot!"

"B.E.N.! B.E.N.!" Jim said, trying to snap the bot out of it. When that didn't work, he whacked him soundly in the side of his metal head.

B.E.N.'s eyes refocused, and he squinted at Jim. "And you are?"

"Wait, what about the treasure?" Jim said frantically.

"I wanna say Larry," B.E.N. replied, appearing not to hear Jim's question.

As Jim tried unsuccessfully to get answers, Ali reached forward and smacked the other side of B.E.N.'s head. Jim stopped and stared at her.

"What?" She said defensively. "Something happened when you did it. It was worth a try."

"I'm sorry, my memory isn't what it used to be," B.E.N. apologized. "I've lost my mind. You haven't found it, have you?" He pushed Jim against a tree and started patting him down.

 _This may be the weirdest thing I've experienced yet,_ Ali thought, eyebrows drawn together. "Come again?"

"My missing piece. My primary memory circuit?" B.E.N. turned and showed them the back of his head, which had a notably empty spot.

"Look, B.E.N.," Jim said slowly. "We really need to find a place to hide, ok? So we're just gonna be, you know, moving on."

He started moving forward, and Ali made to join him. But then B.E.N. spoke again, and the dejection in his voice made both teenagers pause.

"Oh, so I guess…this is goodbye. I'm sorry that I'm so dysfunctional. So, uh, go ahead. I do understand. I do."

Ali turned around to find B.E.N. on his knees, head hanging. She felt a surge of guilt. B.E.N. had been completely alone for the past century. Their meeting was his first contact with sentient beings after all that time, and now they were just going to leave him? "Jim," she said softly. "Maybe we could…"

She didn't finish her sentence, but Jim knew what she meant. Glancing over at Morph, he found the blob looking at him sadly, giving a pleading whimper.

Finally Jim sighed, and took pity on the robot. "Look, if you're gonna come, you're gonna have to stop talking."

B.E.N. jumped to his feet. This time it was a little amusing when he launched himself into Jim's arms. "Oh, this is fantastic! Me and my best buddy—well, buddies," he amended with a glance at Ali, "the three of us out looking for a…" he trailed off at Jim's glare. He mimed zipping his mouth and said in a whisper, "Being quiet."

"And you have to stop touching me," Jim said, looking like he already regretted his decision.

B.E.N. hopped back to the ground. "Talking and touching; two big no-no's."

Ali cleared her throat. "Ok, I think that we should head—"

"Hey, listen," B.E.N. interrupted _again_. "Before we go out on our big search, would you mind if we made a quick pit stop at my place? It's kind of urgent." He pulled aside a clump of reeds to reveal an odd-looking but undeniably large shelter.

"B.E.N.," Ali breathed. "I think you just solved our problem."

ooOoo

B.E.N. bustled around his home, moving things around and babbling steadily. "Pardon the mess, people. You'd think in a hundred years I would've dusted a little more often, but you know…" He pulled a chessboard off a barrel to reveal a pair of frilly pink bloomers. Ali didn't even want to know the story behind those.

"Aww, isn't that sweet," B.E.N. cooed when Delbert carried Captain Amelia inside. "I find old-fashioned romance so touching, don't you?"

Delbert ignored the eccentric bot, laying Amelia gently on the floor with her head against a large mushroom cap. The usually strong and composed woman had one arm in a sling, and looked only half-conscious.

Delbert took off his coat and folded it into a pillow, placing it behind her head. When she gave him a warm smile, he cleared his throat and turned his eyes to the walls. "Look at these markings; they're identical to the ones on the map. I suspect these are the hieroglyphic remnants of an ancient culture."

"Mr. Hawkins, Miss Wood," Amelia tried to sit up. "Stop anyone who tries to approach." She stiffened with a pained groan.

"Yes, yes, now listen to me." Delbert eased her back into a reclining position. "Stop giving orders for a few milliseconds and lie still."

"Very forceful, Doctor," Amelia commented with another smile. "Go on, say something else."

Delbert gave her a soft smile, but Ali frowned. This didn't sound like the Captain Amelia she knew. Was she _flirting?_

"Hey, there's some more of your buddies!" B.E.N. exclaimed abruptly. Ali rushed to the entrance, trying to shut the robot up. But he was already climbing onto the edge of the entrance, waving his arms. "Hey, fellas! We're over here, fellas!"

Fairly sure she knew who these "fellas" were, Ali loaded her pistol and yanked B.E.N. off the ledge. A moment later, jets of laser fire hit the outer wall. Jim was already firing back, and Ali followed suit, covering the other end of the entrance.

Suddenly the shots stopped. Ali rushed over to Jim, looking at him up and down. "You ok?"

Jim nodded. "Fine. You?"

"I'm fine." She started to re-load her pistol.

At that moment, a familiar voice rang out. "Hello up there!"

Ali and Jim peered up over the ledge to see a certain cyborg pull himself up a hill, a makeshift white flag in one hand. "Jimbo?" Silver called out. "If it's all right with the captain, I'd like a short word with you. No tricks, just a little palaver."

"Come to bargain for the map, doubtless," Amelia gritted out.

Slowly it dawned on Jim. "That means…that he thinks we still have it! We need to keep him thinking that. I'll go down there, do whatever kind of talking he's interested in."

Ali grabbed his arm. "Jim, are you sure? Maybe I should come with you."

Jim smiled grimly. "Thanks Ali, but I don't think that'll work. He asked specifically for me."

Ali let go of his arm. "Ok," she said reluctantly. "Just be careful. Silver's way too clever with words to do us any good."

Jim nodded, his expression a little bitter. "I know." With that, he climbed out and down from the entrance, meeting Silver halfway down the hill. Morph followed him, rushing ahead to greet Silver fondly.

Ali watched the two males speak, unable to hear their words. Jim seemed to be holding up a decidedly unfriendly attitude. When Silver pulled him closer into a conspiratorial pose, though, Ali started to worry. Jim's hurt over being betrayed was still fresh. Despite her warning, he might be hoping for something that would redeem Silver in his eyes.

Ali stiffened when Silver stepped back, offering his cyborg hand for a handshake. But then Jim's lips moved again, and the big man retracted his hand. Jim circled Silver, gradually getting louder until Ali could just make out his words.

"Well at least you taught me one thing. Stick to it, right? Well, that's just what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna make sure that you never see one drubloon of _my_ treasure!" Jim said fiercely.

"That treasure is owed me, by t'under!" Silver shouted.

"Yeah, well, try to find it without _my_ map, _by t'under_!" Jim shouted back, imitating the pirate.

There was some more indistinguishable speech, and then a more than audible statement from Silver: "Either I get that map by dawn tomorrow, or so help me, I'll use the ship's cannons to blast you all to kingdom come!"

 _We don't even have the map!_ Ali clenched her hands into fists. What were they going to do?

Jim returned shortly afterwards, his expression dark. Ali didn't ask for details. Evening wore into night, and the effects of Captain Amelia's injuries started to show.

"We must…stay together," Amelia muttered, "and…and…"

"And what?" Delbert said desperately, leaning close to her. "We must stay together and what?"

The feline woman looked up at him with an unsettlingly dreamy expression. "Doctor, you have… _wonderful_ eyes."

Delbert turned towards Jim and Ali, glasses in one hand. "She's lost her mind!"

"Well, you gotta help her!" Jim sputtered.

"Dang it, Jim, I'm an astronomer, not a doctor," Delbert said in frustration. "I mean, I am a doctor, but I'm not that kind of doctor, I have a doctorate…"

As Delbert continued his frustrated rant, Ali walked over and knelt on the other side of Amelia. "It's ok, Delbert. I know something that might help."

Jim gave her a sharp glance. "Ali?"

"Just the lower level, I swear," she replied.

Ali had never told Delbert about the power her voice held; she didn't know him well enough. Therefore he looked understandably confused at her cryptic statements. "Ali, what are you talking about?"

"You'll see." Ali replied. "But first, we need some kind of plan. Jim?" She walked toward the entrance, gesturing for him to follow her.

Jim looked baffled, but followed her anyway. "Do you have an idea?" He asked as they folded their arms on the ledge. Morph quietly joined them.

"Honestly, Jim, I haven't a clue." Ali bit her lip. "We have to do something…but what?"

"I don't know." Jim looked up at the ship, which hovered high in the sky. "Without the map, we're dead." He glanced over to the pirate camp below. "If we try to leave, we're dead. If we stay here…"

"We're dead," Morph squeaked. "We're dead, we're dead, we're dead!" When his antics elicited only sighs and unhappy looks from his audience, he gave a sad warble. Jim raked a hand through his hair, staring out into the sky.

B.E.N. came over, muttering loudly to Morph. "Well, I think that these two could use a little quiet time. So I'll just slip out the back door."

Ali snapped to attention. "Back door?" She looked at Jim, who had turned sharply around. They exchanged a glance, and hurried after the robot.

"B.E.N., you have a back door?" Ali pressed.

"Oh, yeah. I get this delightful breeze through here." The robot pushed on a large sphere in the back of the cavern. Ali hurried to help him, while Jim pulled at the sphere from the other side. Eventually it rolled 180 degrees, revealing an opening that light shone up from.

Ali and Jim peered down into the hole. For what felt like the twelfth time that day, Ali's eyes widened.

They were looking into a cavern equipped with metal walkways and greenish lamps. Pipes of all sizes lined the walls, and multicolored lights pulsed from the darkness below.

"What is all this stuff?" Jim breathed.

"You mean the miles and miles of machinery that run through the entire course of the inside of the planet?" B.E.N. replied. "Not a clue."

Jim turned to Delbert. "Hey Doc, I think we've found a way out of here!" He started to climb up onto the sphere.

Ali grabbed his sleeve. "What are you going to do?"

"We need the map," Jim answered. "So I'm gonna get it."

"No, no, Jim, wait!" Delbert protested. "The captain ordered us to stay together—" But Jim kept climbing, standing up when he had one leg on either side of the hole.

"Jim, just hold on a minute," Ali hurried to say. "Think this through. We still don't have a plan."

"Ali, we don't have any time to waste. I'll get the map, and you do what you can here."

"Now hold on, you're not leaving me out of this—"

"Just trust me. I'll be back!" With that, Jim jumped through the hole, Morph diving in after him. Ali moved to follow, but B.E.N. intercepted her, cannonballing down the hole with a shout.

"Woof," Delbert said quietly, sounding frustrated. "That's just great."

"You can say that again," Ali muttered. Clambering onto the sphere, she peered down into the planet's innards. There was no sight of Jim or B.E.N., or even of Morph. She could faintly hear the clanking of B.E.N.'s footsteps, but if she tried to follow those she would only get lost.

Shaking her head, she climbed down to the floor of the cavern. Jim was going to be in for it, for leaving her behind. Maybe he was trying to keep her safe…but none of them were really safe. And she could take care of herself, damn it!

Then Amelia gave another pained groan, so vague it was like she didn't even know she was making noise. And Ali remembered her previous idea. She did have something to do here. "Hey, Delbert?"

The canine man looked up at Ali. "Yes?"

Ali came to stand beside him. "I might be able to do something to help the captain." Seeing his eyes light up, she quickly added, "but it has a complicated story. You might understand it, and you might not. But if I use it, I need to know that you won't tell anyone about it."

Delbert frowned. "Ali, I trust you…but I'm going to need a little information before you proceed."

Ali sighed. "I can use my singing to improve people's moods," she said simply. "Don't ask me how, but I can. And I have a theory. On a scientific level, positive emotions are induced by endorphins, right?"

Delbert nodded. He was an astronomer, not a biologist, but he knew that much.

"Now, I'm no scientist, but as I remember, endorphins are natural pain fighters. The captain is in pain right now, and I'd bet that pain is also affecting her mind."

"Ali, please, get to the point," Delbert said with uncharacteristic impatience. He seemed to dislike talking about Amelia in pain.

"The point is that my singing may improve the captain's current condition. At best, she'll be in less pain and will regain some sense. At the least, it will give her some positive feelings."

Delbert hesitated, and then smiled. "Well, there's only one way to find out what will happen. And I do love testing theories."

Ali smiled back. "Good. Now, if you have any qualms about your mood being affected by an outside force, you should cover your ears."

Delbert shook his head. "Outside influences make people happy all the time. Your influence is simply an unusual case."

Ali felt something well up in her at his casual acceptance of her power. It was a good feeling; but she could enjoy it later. Right now she needed to focus.

She chose her songs carefully, hoping to lead Amelia to a better state of mind with the right lyrics. Her first song told of distant memories and comfort. The chorus, which she repeated twice, went:

"Someone holds me safe and warm

Horses prance through a silver storm

Figures dancing gracefully

Across my memory"

A smile slipped onto Amelia's face, and she seemed to relax a little. Ali dove into the next song, which was about finding peace in gratitude.

"If you're worried and you can't sleep

Just count your blessings instead of sheep

And you'll fall asleep counting your blessings"

Worried that the second song might put Amelia to sleep if she didn't compensate for it, Ali re-evaluated the songs she had in mind. Of course, it might be good for Amelia to get some rest; but Ali was sure Amelia would prefer to be conscious, or at least to be sensible if she fell asleep.

Finally, she chose a song that was about inner strength. She added an extra touch of her power for good measure.

"And then a hero comes along

With the strength to carry on

And you cast your fears aside

And you know you can survive

So when you feel like hope is gone

Look inside you and be strong

And you'll finally see the truth

That a hero lies in you"

The last song was harder to manage—she was singing softer than the song was meant for, irrationally afraid of waking the pirates. But as she finished the last line, Amelia opened her eyes.

Ali crouched down next to the feline woman. "Captain?"

Amelia's eyes moved to Ali's face, and this time they were clear and perceptive. "That's a rather impressive talent you have, Miss Wood."

 _It worked!_ Ali gave a small smile. "Thank you. How are you feeling?"

"Considering I have a broken arm and who knows what damage done to my ribs, I feel rather better than expected. I do uphold my claim that a cup of tea would do me wonders."

Ali exchanged glances with a relieved Delbert and chuckled. "Yes, ma'am."

"Now, enough fussing over me. What has happened since I've been out of sorts?"

Ali lost her smile, her expression turning somber. She sat on the floor and crossed her legs. "Well, it turns out that B.E.N. has a back door that goes through the mechanical insides of the planet. He and B.E.N. left that way to retrieve the map."

Amelia stared at Ali, who supposed it was a rather odd story. "I see. And how long have they been gone?"

"Maybe thirty minutes."

"I see. And if I may ask, why did you not go with them?"

Ali sighed. "They left without me. I thought about following them, but I…well, I had something else to do here."

Amelia's voice turned knowing. "Would that something have to do with me?"

"Yes, ma'am. I had a theory, and wanted to try it…and it looks like it worked."

To Ali's surprise, Amelia gave her a grateful look. It was only for a moment, but it was there. "I suppose I should thank you for that."

Ali smiled. "I suppose I would say 'you're welcome' if you did so."

"I suppose so." Amelia looked at Ali sidelong. "Miss Wood, have you ever considered working in music therapy?"

Ali blinked. "Music therapy? Is that still done?"

"Certainly," Delbert interjected. "It isn't known as well as other forms of therapy, but plenty of people stand by it. And with your ability, you could excel at the practice."

"I have to agree." Ali started at the sound of another voice. That wasn't Delbert or Amelia's voice. It wasn't Jim, either. It wasn't even B.E.N.

Silver stood at the entrance to the cavern, with two pirates on each side of him. All of them carried pistols or rifles.

Ali jumped to her feet, pulling her pistol from the pocket of her dress. Before she could even load it, though, she heard the sound of a _much_ bigger gun starting up. She looked up to find that Silver had turned his cyborg hand into a cannon-like gun—the same one he had pointed at Jim only hours before.

"Drop the pistol, Miss Ali," Silver ordered. When she didn't answer, he added, "You know, your captain is in range too, and an easy target. I'd hate to kill someone who wasn't a threat."

"You pirates have no qualms about killing," Ali growled. But she let the pistol slip from her grasp.

"Such cynical words from one so young," Silver commented, as though he was berating a small child. He turned to his cronies. "Get to work, lads."

The pirates hopped inside, carrying rope and strips of cloth. Ali turned and bolted, intent on reaching the back exit. Before she had gotten three steps, though, a hand seized her by the hair and pulled her back, making her yelp. "Let me go!" She struggled against her captor, her scalp burning as her blonde locks were pulled tight.

The hand in her hair moved to the back of her neck, applying pressure, and she stilled. Feeling the muscle and sheer bulk of the hand, she was sure that its owner could break her neck with a single move.

"Nice try," a rough voice said in her ear. She growled, but could only watch, as Delbert and Amelia were taken captive as well. Neither of them could struggle very hard, and were bound and gagged within minutes.

Ali winced as the ropes around her wrists were fastened more tightly than was necessary. "Not so hard, you jerk," she snapped at the pirate who was tying her up, looking over her shoulder at him.

He smirked and gave the rope an especially rough tug. Ali gritted her teeth as the bindings bit into her skin.

When the pirate pulled out a length of cloth for her gag, however, Silver stepped in. "Wait. I think I'd enjoy a little conversation with the lady. You and the others bring the rest of the crew up here."

"Aye, sir," the pirate replied. He and the other three pirates slipped out the front entrance.

Once they were gone, Silver looked around the cavern. Finding a nearby rock ledge, he sat down. "Why don't you have a seat, Miss Ali?" His voice was deceivingly casual.

"Why don't you take a walk, preferably off a cliff?"

Silver chuckled. "You're still a plucky one; I give you credit for that. But I don't like being disobeyed, so why don't you have a seat before I bring my gun into this?" He beckoned her towards the rock ledge he sat on.

Ali glared at him, but moved clumsily forward, coming to sit on the other end of the ledge, as far from him as possible.

"You need to learn when to pick your fights, just as Jim does. Speaking of whom, I don't see Jimbo here. Do you know where he's gotten to?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," Ali retorted.

"That I would, my dear. You see, Jimbo has the map, last I saw. He could have given it to one of you since then, but as we've searched the three of you and not found it, it stands to reason that he still has it."

Ali could revel a bit in that statement. He still thought their side had the map.

But then Silver opened his mouth again, and Ali's stomach plummeted. "Of course, there is still the question of why he isn't here. If he left with the map, he'd risk losing it as well as his own neck. I couldn't see him putting the map at risk, or abandoning the three of you. So who's to say he has the map at all?"

Ali only stared at him. He was toying with her; she could see that now.

Silver continued the rather one-sided conversation. "It so happens I don't need to wonder where Jimbo is. Seeing our longboat parked up by the ship made it plenty clear." Silver chuckled. "And 'tis a strange twist of fate indeed. While Jimbo is up there getting _my_ map, he may run into the claws of an old friend."

"Scroop?" Ali blurted. The thought of Jim facing the sinister, vindictive pirate sent chills through her body.

"Precisely. You're a smart lass. Full of surprises, too." Silver smirked. "I never thought that my kitchen girl would turn out to be a little sirenial."

Another chill ran down her spine. "What are you talking about?"

"Your miraculous return from the black hole was less than subtle, lass. Your rescuer did a decent job concealing her face, but the resemblance was still there. Add to that your constant music-making, and that trick you just pulled with your captain…well, it didn't take no genius to figure it out."

 _Oh, if I wasn't tied up right now…_ This was information she only shared with the people she trusted. She hated that Silver knew about it. And she hated the way he was talking to her, like he was playing an amusing game.

Still, he wasn't the only one with a card to play. Ali locked eyes with him. "You act like you don't care about any of us, Silver. But I know you like Jim."

Silver looked taken aback for the first time since entering the cavern. He tried to cover it up with an amused expression. "Do you now? And how did you come by this bit of information?"

"I saw you earlier, by the longboats," Ali replied, determined to have her say. "You had your gun pointed straight at Jim, but you didn't shoot. You couldn't do it, could you?"

Silver flinched. "Well now, that's not quite-"

"And you talk like it's no problem if Scroop gets ahold of Jim on the ship," Ali continued, plowing over Silver's fumbling. "But if something happens to Jim up there, I think you'll regret it. So why are you doing this?" She sent out a silent prayer that Jim would be fine.

Ali's words seemed to have hit their mark. Silver slumped a little on his seat, and his eyes turned sad. "You have a good eye, Miss Ali," he said heavily. "I like Jim, and I rather like you too. I don't _want_ harm to come to either of you…" Silver trailed off, looking towards the cavern entrance.

Ali turned in the same direction, craning her neck, and saw the pirate crew coming up the hill.

As the crew came within earshot, Silver turned back to Ali, straightening up. "But I have a goal to reach, Miss Ali," he continued, voice hard now. "If reaching that goal means you and the boy end up out of the picture, then so be it." He looked over his shoulder at his crew. "Gents, we wait here. We'll have the map soon, one way or another. For now, keep an eye on the prisoners."

Several pirates crowded around Delbert and Amelia. Another grabbed Ali and dragged her next to them, forcing her to her knees.

As Ali struggled against her captor, though, a regular clanking sound rose up from the back entrance. It sounded like footsteps. She froze, as did everyone else in the cavern.

"Everyone get low!" Silver hissed. "And you," he pointed at the pirate who held Ali. "Make sure the girl keeps quiet!"

The pirate clapped his meaty hand over Ali's mouth, pressing a large index finger into her windpipe so it was harder for her to make noise—or breathe, for that matter.

As Ali watched, Jim and Morph came in through the back entrance. Jim was pulling B.E.N. up with one hand. In his other hand, he gripped…the map.

"Ali, Doc, wake up!" He said excitedly, moving further into the cavern. "I got the map." He bent down and held out the sphere…right towards where Silver was sitting, hidden by the shadows.

Ali bit down hard on the hand over her mouth, making its owner grunt and let go. "Jim, no!" she cried.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 **Reviews are loved!**


	14. Save and Sacrifice

**Music for this chapter is on my profile, as usual. Please R &R!**

Chapter 14

Previously…

 _As Ali watched, Jim and Morph came in through the back entrance. Jim was pulling B.E.N. up with one hand. In his other hand, he gripped…the map._

 _"Ali, Doc, wake up!" He said excitedly, moving further into the cavern. "I got the map." He bent down and held out the sphere…right towards where Silver was sitting, hidden by the shadows._

 _Ali bit down hard on the hand over her mouth, making its owner grunt and let go. "Jim, no!" she cried._

ooOoo

Jim snapped his head towards the sound of Ali's voice. Before he could do anything more, a hand reached out and took the map from him. The hand was mechanical.

"Fine work, Jimbo," Silver drawled, leaning forward into the light. "Fine work indeed."

Jim's eyes widened, and he looked around in panic. Behind Silver were Ali, Delbert and the captain, only now visible through the gloom. They were all tied up and guarded by pirates. His panic spiked. Pirates emerged from the shadows, surrounding him in a slowly shrinking circle.

Jim tried to make a run for it, but two pirates grabbed him and pulled him back, holding him tightly by his arms as he struggled. He heard Morph squeak, and one of the pirates holding him shouted in pain. A moment later, though, Morph flew into his pocket, whimpering. He supposed Morph had attacked the pirate in some way, with no success. Even B.E.N. had been taken captive; Jim could hear the bot saying fearfully, "Not the face!"

Ali cursed, struggling against her own bonds again, as Silver stepped close to Jim, casually tossing the map into the air and then catching it. "You're just like me, Jimbo," he said smugly. "You hates to lose."

Silver looked down at the map, twisting it in both hands; but nothing happened. He made a confused sound and tried using his cyborg hand, changing it into various tools. Each tool yielded zero success, and he grew more and more frustrated with each failed attempt.

Ali shared a smirk with Jim. Silver would never figure it out. Before the voyage, she and Jim had tried countless different combinations on the map, and nothing had worked except the original combination.

Silver thrust the map towards Jim. "Open it!"

Jim's captors released him, and he caught the map in both hands. He looked at it for a moment, then up at Silver, his lip curling as he glared at the man.

At Jim's silent refusal, Silver changed his cyborg hand into a pistol. "I'd get busy." He pointed the gun at Ali's head. "Before your little girlfriend suffers the consequences."

"Go to hell, Silver," Ali spat. But Jim could see the fear in her eyes. Glancing towards Delbert and the captain, he saw Amelia shaking her head and Delbert nodding, and then shaking his head when he saw what Amelia was doing.

"Come now, Jimbo, I haven't got all day." Silver loaded his pistol.

With one last glare, Jim activated the map, twisting the sections without even looking. Green light shot out of the sphere, collecting and forming a glowing replica of Treasure Planet. As everyone watched, the replica dissolved into a jet of light that zigzagged through the air and out of the cavern, pointing the way.

Silver gave a triumphant cackle, and then gestured towards Jim. "Tie him up, and leave him with the others 'til we—"

He stopped as the light zoomed back into the sphere in Jim's hands, which closed again with a hum. "You want the map, you're taking me too," Jim said firmly.

"And you're not leaving me here!" Ali declared.

Silver gave the two teenagers a long look, and actually chuckled. "We'll take 'em all."

ooOoo

The longboat sped over the fungi-covered landscape, following the path of green light that stretched ahead. Eventually the light led downwards, and the longboat was anchored just above the ground.

Silver hopped out of the boat, followed by Jim, who helped Ali out. Ali looked back regretfully at Delbert and Amelia, who were left in the boat with the pirate who had tied her up. As she walked beside Jim, she pulled up her sleeves to investigate the pain in her wrists, wincing at the friction from the cloth.

Jim watched her actions with a frown. He had untied her during their ride in the longboat, but the ropes had left raw, red marks on the skin around her wrists. Morph flew out of his pocket and over to Ali, making sad noises at the sight.

Ali smiled and patted the little blob, touched at his concern. "It's ok, Morph. I'm ok." She looked over at Jim. "Really, I am."

B.E.N. came to walk behind the two teenagers, babbling to Jim. "WAS I EVER DANCING WITH AN ANDROID NAMED LUPÉ?" He suddenly shouted, making Ali jump.

 _Can't he keep his voice down?_ She thought incredulously. _We're surrounded by short-fused, trigger-happy pirates!_

Jim shushed the robot. "This isn't over yet," he said quietly, glancing at Ali again.

Ali nodded in agreement. She wasn't about to give up either.

Silver eyed a tall clump of reeds, which the now pulsating beam of light was pointing through. "We're gettin' close, lads! I smell treasure a'waitin'!" Changing his cyborg hand into a machete, he hacked through the reeds. Everyone hurried through…and then stopped in confusion.

They had come to a cliff that overlooked a huge valley. The green light ended at the edge of the cliff.

"Where is it?" someone growled.

"I see nothing! One great big stinking bunch of nothing!" Mr. Onus shouted.

Silver watched as the green light went back into the map and vanished completely. "What's going on, Jimbo?" He demanded.

"I…I don't know," Jim said in confusion, twisting and pressing at the map to no avail. "I can't get it open!"

"We should've never followed this boy!" Exclaimed a female pirate, pushing Jim to the ground.

"Hey, leave him alone!" Ali protested.

"Oh, don't worry, girlie," the pirate sneered. "You can join 'im!" She gave Ali a push as well, sending her tumbling to her knees beside Jim.

"I'd suggest you get that gizmo going again, and fast," Silver told Jim. "A'fore my crew decides to do something drastic to you and Miss Ali."

The pirates immediately began to shout suggestions. "Let's rip his gizzard right out!"

"Throw her over the cliff!"

As the pirates continued to shout, Ali shot Jim a panicked glance. "Jim, any ideas at all?"

Jim didn't answer her; he was looking at the ground in front of him. He cleared away a patch of moss to reveal a circular divot a little smaller than his hand. Quickly he inserted the map into the divot.

Ali gasped as the cliff suddenly lit up. Before everyone's eyes, a glowing green sphere floated up from the ground, spinning slowly. Streaks of light raced across the valley floor and up the cliff, converging into one long vertical line that reached high into the sky. The line opened into an enormous triangle, with what looked like deep space inside.

Jim stared at the image. "The Lagoon Nebula?"

"But that's halfway 'cross the galaxy," Silver said in disbelief.

Ali stepped forward and touched a spot on the floating globe. The triangle closed back into a line and then opened again, showing a series of floating islands. She touched another spot, and the image changed to a desert landscape. "A big door, opening and closing…"

Jim raised his eyebrows and came to stand beside her. "Let's see…" He scanned the globe and then grinned when he found what he was looking for. "Montressor Spaceport." He touched the spot with one finger, and the triangle—the _door_ —in front of them closed and then opened, showing the crescent-shaped port clear as day.

"So that's how Flint did it," Jim said in awe. "He used this portal to roam the universe stealing treasure!"

"But where'd he stash it all?" Silver shoved Jim and Ali out of the way, and started pressing random spots on the globe. "Where's that blasted treasure?"

"Treasure!" B.E.N. exclaimed from next to Jim. "Treasure…is buried in…"

"Buried in the centroid of the mechanism," Jim finished for him. Ali could almost see the gears turning in his head. "What if the whole planet _is_ the mechanism, and the treasure is buried in the center of this planet?"

The pirates immediately started digging at the spot in front of them, only to have their tools break as they discovered that the ground was made of metal.

"And how in blue blazes are we supposed to get there?" Silver demanded.

Realization hit Ali like a thunderclap. "Just open the right door." She stepped forward, pushed Silver aside, and pressed a particular symbol on the globe: a planet with two rings around it.

The door opened to what looked like an enormous chamber full of sand dunes. Ali stretched her arm out, and the air in front of her rippled, like a layer of reality was being distorted.

Jim moved forward and pushed his arm into that rippling spot, stepping through with Ali a pace behind.

Silver quickly followed them, gripping Jim's shoulder with one hand, and the other pirates followed suit. The chamber seemed to give off a golden glow. And as Ali took a good look around, she understood why.

They stood on a flat portion of a globe that was the size of a moon. Miles of treasure spread out before them, apparently covering the entire globe. What Ali had taken to be sand dunes were actually piles of gold and gems. Among the gold glittered trunks of jewelry, gilded weapons and so much more. Cannon-like structures protruded from the ceiling, periodically shooting purple laser jets into holes in the floor.

The pirate crew cheered and ran inside. Silver followed suit at a slower pace, wading into the veritable sea of treasure.

B.E.N. was babbling again, something about it all seeming very familiar. Ali tuned him out and knelt down, scooping up a handful of treasure. In that one handful were seven gold coins, a moonstone bracelet, and a black opal that covered half of her palm. The black opal alone could rebuild the Benbow Inn five times over. But all the treasure in the chamber…Ali was sure it could build whole _cities_ , enough to cover multiple planets. The situation was absolutely surreal.

"Ali," Jim tugged on her arm. "Let's go."

Ali looked up at him. "Go where?"

"Over there." He pointed to an old wooden ship that sat atop one of the treasure dunes, also heaped with riches. "That's our ticket out. We're getting out of here, and we're not leaving empty-handed."

Ali nodded and stood up, pocketing the bracelet and the opal. As she, Jim and B.E.N. picked their way towards the ship, she periodically grabbed other bits of treasure, slipping them into her pockets as well.

When they reached the ship, Ali jumped for the edge, grabbing hold and hoisting herself on board. Glancing to the side, she found Jim already on board, helping B.E.N. up. She turned around to do a survey of the boat…and gasped.

A skeleton sat atop a golden, throne-like chair. Its clothes were ragged and decrepit, from the tricorn cap on its head to the leather boots on its feet. The skull sported fanged jaws and six slanted eyeholes. "Captain Flint?" Ali said incredulously.

"In the flesh!" B.E.N. said. "Well, sort of, except for skin, organs, or anything that resembles flesh…that's not there."

Ali stepped closer, peering at the skeleton. As her eyes moved downward, she noticed something clenched in one of the bony hands. She frowned. "What's this?"

Jim came forward to look. He grabbed the hand and forced it apart, taking the object inside. It was a copper plate with several small indents on one side. It looked like the missing piece to some gadget.

Ali looked over at B.E.N., who was babbling as usual. "It's so odd, you know?" The robot remarked. "I mean, I remember there was something, something horrible Flint didn't want anyone else to know, but I just…I can't remember what it was." He put one hand against his forehead in a tragic pose. "Oh, a mind is a terrible thing to lose!"

Ali looked again at the thing in Jim's hand, and something clicked. "Jim!" When Jim looked at her, she nodded towards B.E.N., specifically towards the hollow spot in his head.

Jim's eyes widened. "B.E.N., I think we just found your mind. Hold still." He fitted the piece into the back of the robot's head. The protruding wires fastened quickly onto the inside of the piece, holding it firmly in place.

B.E.N. spun around. "Whoa! Hello!" Data streamed through his eyes, which turned from green to blue a moment later. "You know, you guys, I was just thinking…I was just…it's all coming back!" He exclaimed jubilantly. "All my memories! Right up until Flint pulled my memory circuits so I could never tell anybody about his…BOOBY TRAP!" A boom resounded through the chamber. "Speaking of which…"

Ali looked up to find explosions spreading out from the ceiling. They lit up the chamber in a brighter golden glow; but Ali didn't like this light.

"Flint wanted to make sure nobody could ever steal his treasure," B.E.N. continued. "So he rigged this whole planet to blow higher than a Calipsean kite!"

Machinery on the ceiling came loose, spearing through the treasure and the floor below it to create rapidly widening cracks. It seemed that the moonlike structure had an actual core, hot enough for heat to come up in waves. Treasure started spilling into the cracks, falling through to be lost forever.

"Ali, Jimmy, we need to get OUT OF HERE!" B.E.N. shouted. "Run for your lives!"

Ali was inclined to agree with the bot, but Jim dove for a spot below the ship's wheel. "You go back and help the captain and Doc! If I'm not there in five minutes, leave without me."

"I am not leaving my buddy Jimmy!" B.E.N. pulled on Jim's legs, trying to get him out from the circuit board he was working on. When Jim's face came into view, however, he gave B.E.N. a death glare, holding two wires that sparked in his grip.

"Unless he looks at me like that," B.E.N. corrected nervously. "Bye, Jim!" He dropped Jim's legs and ran for it.

Ali glanced over at Jim. "All right, you've got the machinery; I guess I've got the rigging."

Jim ducked his head out to frown at her. "I thought I told you to go."

Ali raised an eyebrow. "And you thought I'd actually listen?"

Jim chuckled. "Not really."

"Good. Now, you get back to what you were doing; we've got to get this thing running. I'll see what condition the sails are in." Scaling the main mast, Ali climbed into the rigging and started to inspect the pieces of red cloth. As she expected, they were fairly tattered; but there was enough fabric intact that they would still do the trick.

She slid down the mast and ran to where Jim was still lying under the circuit board. "The sails look ok. Are you almost done in there?"

There was a final crackle, and then Ali heard the ship's engines starting up. Jim ducked out from under the circuit board. "I'm done." As the ship lifted into the air, he jumped up to the steering wheel and grabbed hold, turning it until the ship faced the chamber's exit. Ali jumped up beside him, followed by a squealing Morph. Ali smiled. She had almost forgotten about the lovable little blob.

But then a voice behind them made her freeze. "Jimbo, Miss Ali!" Silver jumped onto the boat, gripping a rope as he came up. He started to walk toward them. "Aren't you two the seventh wonder of the universe?"

Jim grabbed a sword from the deck and pointed it at Silver. "Get. Back!"

Silver stopped short and looked down at the sword. When he looked up again, his expression was dark and angry. "I like you, lad," he said in a low, dangerous voice. "But I've come too far to let you stand between me and me treasure."

He advanced on them again, slowly but surely. Jim's eyes widened, and his heart started to pound. He stepped back, still holding the sword out, until he was backed against the wheel. Ali stood frozen beside the wheel, eyes flicking back and forth desperately.

At that moment a laser beam struck the side of the ship, jolting it and sending all three of them flying off. Ali landed on the ground beside the ship, and looked around frantically for Jim. Not finding him, she looked over the edge of her spot. What she saw sent sheer panic pulsing through her body.

Jim had fallen through one of the larger cracks in the ground. He had managed to grab onto a hunk of metal protruding from the inner wall, and was hanging on for dear life. The hunk of metal was slowly but surely receding back into the wall. Far below, the molten core pulsed and flamed with a deadly promise.

Ali leaned as far as she could over the edge, stretching out a hand. "Jim! Grab hold!"

Jim half turned in the air, reaching one hand towards Ali. "I can't!" He lost his grip on his handhold, falling several feet before grabbing hold of another, much smaller protrusion. Like the first one, it was also shrinking back into the wall.

"No!" Ali cried. How could she do anything for Jim now?

Then she heard a voice gasp, "Jimbo!"

She turned her head. Silver held the edge of the old ship with his cyborg hand, keeping it in place. His distressed gaze was fixed on Jim.

"Silver, please!" Ali called. "Help me save him!"

Silver started to move towards Ali, loosening his grip on the ship. But as he started to let go, the ship began to fall into the laser's destructive path. He stopped and gripped the edge of the ship again.

"Silver, I'm begging you," Ali was close to tears. "Help me help Jim. If he falls, he will die."

The big man looked at her, at the treasure on the ship, and back to her, conflict raging in his eyes. Then he looked down at Jim, who had only moments left, and his distress tripled. "Oh, blast me for a fool!" He released the ship and went to Ali, holding her by the ankles so she could reach down farther.

At that moment, Jim ran out of handhold, plunging toward the planet's core with a scream. Ali swung down and grabbed both his wrists, holding on tight as Silver pulled them back up.

Now kneeling on solid ground, Ali pulled Jim into a fierce hug, which he returned in full. A moment later, though, he pulled away. "We have to go!" He said urgently, jumping to his feet.

Ali followed suit. "Agreed." The two teenagers ran for the exit, Silver keeping pace beside them.

"Silver!" Jim exclaimed as they ran through the portal. His voice was laced with disbelief. "You gave up—"

"Just a lifelong obsession, Jim, I'll get over it," Silver said lightly.

Ali rather doubted that, but this was no time for a debate. Once again she heard engines whirring, as the R.L.S. Legacy appeared in front of them.

"Hurry, people!" B.E.N. shouted from the ship. In one hand he waved the compass that had previously been on his chest. "We got exactly two minutes and thirty-four seconds 'til planet's destruction!"

Jim, Ali and Silver glanced at each other, and then hurried on board. Standing at the wheel and steering the ship was… _Delbert?_ Ali craned her neck and spotted Captain Amelia sitting behind him, giving instructions.

"Take us out of here, metal man!" Amelia ordered B.E.N.

"Aye, Captain!" B.E.N. activated the thrusters with a pull of two levers, and the ship took off.

"Cap'n," Silver started, sweeping his hat off his head. "You dropped from the heavens in the nick of—"

"Save your claptrap for the judge, Silver," the captain cut through his words with a scowl.

Silver made a dismayed attempt at a laugh, his face drooping. And Ali found herself torn. Silver had done some pretty awful things; but did she really want him to end up in jail? As a pirate he would be treated worse than the other prisoners; many people held a special dislike for pirates. Ali should know; she had been one of those people for a while after her father died.

A flying piece of debris suddenly hit one of the sails, sending it and the mast attached to it crashing down. "Mizzen sail demobilized, Captain!" B.E.N. said, tapping furiously at a screen on his compass. "Thrusters at only thirty percent of capacity."

"Thirty percent?" Delbert repeated in alarm. "That means…we'll never clear the planet's explosion in time."

A day ago, or even an hour ago, Delbert's statement would have sent Ali panicking again. But now, she could feel her old stubbornness surfacing with a vengeance. They had come too far and survived too much for it to end here, damn it! She ran to the edge of the boat, racking her brain for an idea.

Then she looked back at the landscape rapidly receding behind them. The ground was coming apart, lasers shooting up into the sky…and the portal was still open.

"Jim!" She called to her friend. He looked at her from his spot next to Delbert and Amelia. "You opened the portal to Montressor Spaceport before. Is there any way we could do that again?"

Jim's eyebrows shot up. "I don't know. I'd need a way to get close to the portal controller…" His eyes scanned the ship, and then locked on to a small thruster. It had been knocked to the deck by the fallen mast, but was still sparking with power.

He hopped down to the main level of the deck. "We gotta turn around!"

"What?" Amelia stood up just for the sake of giving Jim an incredulous look.

"There's a portal back there," Jim replied. "It can get us out of here!"

"Pardon me, Jim," Delbert said, losing his cool. "But didn't that portal open onto _a raging inferno?_ "

"Yes," Jim grunted. With Ali's help, he pulled a long, flat piece of metal from the wreckage on board. They set it down again, placing the thruster on top of one end. "But I'm gonna change that. I'm gonna open a different door."

"Captain, really, I just don't see how this could possibly—"

"Delbert, it's our best chance!" Ali shouted. "Do you have any other ideas?"

"Listen to the boy!" Silver agreed.

"One minute, twenty-nine seconds 'til planet's destruction!" B.E.N. blurted, still furiously calculating.

Silver joined Ali and Jim around the parts they had assembled. "What do you need, Jim?"

"Just…some way to attach this," Jim replied, gesturing to the thruster.

"All right, stand back now!" Turning his cyborg arm into a blowtorch, Silver welded the thruster to the bottom of the makeshift board. Together he and Jim lifted the board up and set it on the edge of the deck, Morph pushing up on the underside of the thing.

Jim hopped onto the board and positioned his feet to anchor himself as best he could. Before he could do anything else, though, Ali grabbed his arm.

"Let me come with you," she said determinedly. Both Silver and Jim turned to look at her.

"Ali…" Jim started.

"We don't have time to argue! Look, I can help. I know about the aerodynamic aspects of flying. I can help with maneuvering."

"Miss Ali," Silver started. "You'll throw off the balance of the board—"

"No I won't; Jim and I have spent years solar surfing together on the same board." Ali looked at Jim again. "You're crazy if you think I'm letting you do this without me."

Jim considered her for a moment…and nodded. "Get on."

Ali released his arm and hopped onto the back of the board.

Jim looked back at Silver. "Ok, now no matter what happens, keep the ship heading straight for that portal."

Ali watched as the two males shared a look. The look conveyed worry, desperation, and regret that this was the way they might part.

But the moment was broken as B.E.N. yelled, "Fifty-eight seconds!" Ali allowed Jim one last glance at Silver, and then stepped on the pedal that would activate the thruster, sending them speeding through the air.

The route back to the portal was like a deadly obstacle course, pillars and stone blocks lifting and crashing all around them. "Lean forward!" Ali cried. A moment later, a stone block flew through the air where their heads had been.

Ali continued to shout instructions. "Steer to the left! Now to the right! Now further right!" The thruster faltered. She stomped on the pedal again, and it flared back to life.

Her eyes widened as they came toward two pillars leaning against each other, a hole rapidly growing smaller between them. "Jim, straighten up!" Jim did as she said, and the effect slowed them enough to allow a little more control. "When we reach those pillars, veer right, then down, and lean forward again as far as you can."

"Got it." Jim steered the board and then leaned forward so far he could touch its metal surface. He and Ali made it through the hole just as the two pillars collapsed.

Ali blanched when she saw the new level of obstacles in their way, moving faster than she could keep track of. "Jim, I think it's time for some of your stunts!"

Jim's answer was to start them through the mess in front of them, moving the board in rapid zigzags, sometimes skidding against debris in narrower spaces. Adrenaline and determination burned hot inside him, his teeth clenched in defiance of the fiery planet below.

The thruster faltered again, and again Ali stepped on the pedal. But this time, nothing happened. She stomped harder, with still no results. The machinery must have run out of charge.

The board had lost forward momentum in those few powerless seconds. Now it, and its passengers, began to fall—right down a fissure in the planet.

"No!" Ali tapped the pedal over and over again, putting all of her weight into it. They continued to descend, and she could feel the heat of the planet's core stretch up towards them. "No, no, no!"

"It needs a spark!" Jim shouted. "Use the wall!"

"Right!" Together, she and Jim threw their weight sideways, making the thruster end of the board collide with the rock wall. The board scraped against the wall, and the friction created a flurry of sparks around the thruster. A few sparks took hold, and the thruster flamed back to life with a boom. The board shot upwards, with its passengers hanging on for dear life.

Ali and Jim reached the surface just as the ship flew over. Ali pressed her foot against the board's pedal and kept it there, lending the board an extra burst of speed. It was all or nothing now. They reached the side of the ship, and Ali could hear B.E.N. counting down the final seconds.

"Five! Four!" B.E.N. shouted.

Jim leaned forward as they passed the ship, reaching towards the globe that controlled the portal. He could see the crescent-shaped spot that marked Montressor Spaceport. Just a little closer…

"THREE! TWO…"

One moment, the expanse of open space was still and quiet. Then an enormous glowing doorway appeared in the air, seeming to tear the fabric of reality. Through the doorway came a ship, led by two teenagers on a ramshackle hover board. The two vehicles sped away as the doorway snapped shut, cutting off the explosion on the other side and leaving just a single short blast in its wake.

Ali barely spared a glance to the blast behind them. Her whole self was filled with a single thought: _We did it!_

Jim was already cheering in front of her, and she joined in with an elated shout, the sound going on for almost ten seconds before she had to stop for air. She realized she was breathing heavily; but she continued to cheer a moment later. She had every reason to be celebrating—they had made it!

Jim was of a similar mind. He flew them over the deck of the ship, high-fiving Silver as the board passed by. Together with Ali, he flew several loops around the ship, still cheering. When Ali insisted she have a turn at flying, he let her, and she surprised him by doing several aerial turns and even managing a barrel roll. Jim laughed. It seemed Ali had picked up a thing or two from him.

Eventually they landed the board on the edge of the ship. Together they jumped onto the deck, the board toppling back into space as they did so.

Without warning, Jim took Ali by the waist and lifted her into the air.

Ali laughed wholeheartedly as he spun her around, giddy with relief and the most insanely acquired adrenaline rush of her life. He set her down, and she promptly wrapped him in a hug.

"Wow," she huffed, still chuckling.

They pulled back after a minute, arms still around each other. "What do you know? We're alive," Jim said with a grin.

"I'll say," Ali grinned back. Her eyes roamed freely over his face, but were soon drawn to his mouth.

She looked into his eyes again and cocked her head. "Hey Jim? About that kiss…"

Jim's eyebrows shot up. "Is that a request?"

Ali smirked, and stepped a little closer to him. "It's an _insistent_ request." Her smirk faltered. "Of course, that's only if you want to—"

Jim pressed one hand to her mouth, cutting her off. "Trust me, Ali," he said, his hand drifting to her jawline. "I want to." He put a finger under her chin, tilting her face upwards; and then his mouth was on hers.

Ali wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled inwardly when he pulled her closer, his own arms around her waist. Though her feet were flat on the deck, Ali could have sworn Jim was spinning her in circles again.

Just as the kiss was becoming more involved, a pointed cough made the two teenagers pause. Breaking off the kiss, they turned to find Captain Amelia and Delbert standing in front of them. Ali squeaked and stepped away from Jim, cheeks burning. Jim followed suit, his face also red. In spite of their embarrassment, however, both teenagers were biting back grins.

Amelia shook her head, a hint of a smirk on her face. "Unorthodox methods back there, you two," she chuckled. "But ludicrously effective. Mr. Hawkins, I'd be proud to recommend you to the Interstellar Academy. They could use a man like you. And Miss Wood?"

Ali's curiosity spiked as the captain addressed her. "Yes?"

"Consider what I told you about music therapy. I meant what I said."

Ali smiled. "I'll give it some thought, ma'am. Thank you."

"Just wait until your mother hears about this!" Delbert exclaimed, eyes on Jim. "Of course, we may downplay the life-threatening parts."

Ali chuckled. "You think?"

"Jimmy, Ali," B.E.N. cut in from the right. "That was…unforgettable! I know you don't like touching, Jimmy, but get ready for a hug, because I gotta hug you!" He latched onto Jim once again, and this time Jim boisterously returned the robot's hug.

Ali watched the scene with growing fondness. This was the Jim she had grown up with, the one who she had missed since before the voyage.

As B.E.N. burst into happy tears, Ali turned towards Silver's spot by the staircase…and found the spot empty.

Her eyebrows shot up. She had a pretty good idea of where the man had gone; but did she want to stop him? He was a pirate, and pirates needed to be locked up so they couldn't do more harm. But was he really that kind of pirate?

She turned and pulled Jim free of B.E.N.'s grasp. "Jim, we have a certain cyborg missing."

Jim's mouth fell open. Comprehension slowly dawned in his eyes. "The longboats?"

Ali nodded. "The longboats." With that, she and Jim hurried to the lower deck.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 **OH MY GOD, this chapter took so much time to finish O_o. I give serious credit to the people who created the exploding planet scene in the movie.**

 **Ali and Jim finally had their kiss! I hope y'all enjoyed that bit, and enjoyed the chapter in general. Please leave a review! :D**


	15. Memories and Olden Days

**I'm baaaack! Little things like midterms and club events make it surprisingly hard to get writing done. But anyway, hope you enjoy this latest chapter. Music for the chapter is on my profile, as per usual :).**

Chapter 15

Silver knelt by the longboat, Morph chittering beside him. His fingers worked on a rope that secured the longboat, loosening the knot. "Morphy, hush!" He scolded softly as the blob continued to chatter. "We gotta make tracks!" He got the knot untied and moved on to the other rope.

"You never quit, do you?" A feminine voice remarked dryly. Silver turned to find Ali and Jim standing a few paces away, arms crossed.

"Ah, Jimbo, Miss Ali!" Silver laughed nervously. "I was…merely checking to make sure our last longboat was safe and secure." He hastily put a knot back in the first rope.

Jim hummed thoughtfully, sharing a glance with Ali. Stepping forward, he knelt and retied the rope, fastening it with a firm tug. "That should hold it." He raised one eyebrow at Silver knowingly, a slight smirk on his face.

Silver chuckled and stood up, Jim following suit. "I taught you too well," the big man remarked. Jim said nothing, an expectant look on his face. Behind him Ali tilted her head, both eyebrows raised.

"Now, if you don't mind," Silver started. "We'd just as soon avoid prison. Little Morphy here, he's a free spirit." Morph zoomed in circles around Silver's head as he heard his name. "Being in a cage…it'd break his heart."

Ali's gaze softened at the melancholy in Silver's last statement. She knew Morph wasn't the only one who would hate being locked up.

Silver looked at her, and then at Jim, a pleading smile on his face. For a long moment, there was silence.

Then Ali sighed. She couldn't believe she was about to do this. Stepping sideways, she pulled a nearby lever down, opening the hatch under the longboat.

Silver turned his head towards the hatch, eyes widening, and then looked at the blonde girl. "Miss Ali…"

Ali shrugged. "You helped me save Jim, and you gave up all that treasure to do it. I don't discount things like that." She gave a small smile. "And I've told you, it's 'Ali'."

Jim grinned. Moving back to the longboat, he untied his previous knot, freeing the little aircraft.

Silver turned back to Jim. "What do you say you ship out with us, lad? You and me, Hawkins and Silver! Full of ourselves and no ties to anyone!" To illustrate, Morph turned into a pirate hat and landed on Jim's head.

Something in Ali's chest tightened, like a hand squeezing her heart. She opened her mouth to protest, and then closed it again. It was Jim's decision to make.

"You know," Jim started, taking the Morph-hat off his head. "When I got on this boat, I would've taken you up on that offer in a second." He tickled Morph, who reverted back to his default form, and cradled the little blob in his hands. "But, uhh, I met this old cyborg. And he taught me that I could chart my own course." He turned to look at Ali, who had her eyes on the floor. "And that's what I'm gonna do."

Ali exhaled, the pressure on her chest dissipating. She looked up again, watching the two males in front of her.

"And what do you see, off that bow of yours?" Silver asked curiously.

Jim met Silver's eyes again. "A future." His own eyes shone with new hope.

Silver chuckled fondly. "Look at you, glowin' like a solar fire. You're something special, Jim. You're gonna _rattle_ the stars, you are."

Tears collected in Jim's eyes as he looked at Silver. When Silver opened his arms, Jim stepped forward without hesitation, embracing the closest thing he had ever had to a real father.

After a few seconds, Silver coughed and drew back. "Got a bit of grease in this cyborg eye of mine," he sniffed, turning away. Jim rubbed a hand over his eyes, wiping away tears of his own.

Ali's throat was tight with emotion. Letting Silver go was proving harder than she had expected. Morph flew over to her, and she offered her cupped hands for him to perch in. To her surprise, he let out a high-pitched wail, dissolving into a puddle of tears in her hands. "Aww, hey, Morph, I'll see you around," she consoled him gently. "Ok?"

"See ya around," Morph squeaked sadly. He flew up to lick her cheek and nuzzle against her face, and then nuzzled Jim before returning to Silver.

Silver noted Ali's melancholy expression, and the wistful sigh that Morph uttered. "Morphy?" He addressed the blob gruffly. "I got a job for you. I need you to keep an eye on these…pups. Especially the girl; she knows how to get into mischief. Will you do me that little favor?"

"Aye, aye, Captain!" Morph squeaked happily. He rubbed against his first master's face lovingly, and then flew to nuzzle Ali again, perching on her shoulder.

Silver climbed into the longboat, and the little craft began to descend. "Oh, and one more thing, Jimbo!" He tossed a handful of coins and gems up to Jim. "That's for your dear mother. To rebuild that inn of hers."

Jim looked down at Silver, who gave him a crooked smile. "Stay out of trouble, you old scalawag," he said sarcastically, his voice laced with amusement. Ali came to stand beside him, watching the longboat descend.

"Why, Jimbo, lad, when have I ever done otherwise?" Silver replied in mock-offense. The longboat detached from the support cables, engine and sails engaged, and Silver cackled as it took off.

Ali and Jim watched until the longboat was out of sight. Then she shook her head, smiling. "There's no other pirate like John Silver."

Jim looked at her, smiling too. "Definitely not." After a moment, he reached out, brushing his hand against hers. She took his hand, twining their fingers together, and gave it a gentle squeeze.

ooOoo

Docking in the spaceport was a somewhat surreal experience for Ali. The moment the Legacy was properly tied up, groups of people swarmed on board. There were workers to clean up the wreckage and repair other damages, and a doctor to tend to Amelia's injuries. Several officials also arrived, brandishing stacks of paper documents and requesting reports from the captain. Delbert firmly refused to let them see her until after she had gotten done with the doctor.

Jim worked with the repairmen, enthusiastically telling the story of their voyage all the while. The authorities arrived shortly after to take the pirates, held captive below deck, into custody. Ali noted that no one mentioned the escaped pirate John Silver.

Left with nothing to do, Ali headed down to the galley. There was no sense in letting their leftover food supplies go to waste.

She flitted from cupboard to cupboard, pulling out various foods, a cutting board, a knife, and other tools. As her hands danced through the routine, she hummed softly, contemplating her surroundings. This was where she had cooked for the roughest group of beings she had ever met. She'd had to steel herself time and again to keep from being intimidated by them, even utilizing her more vulgar vocabulary to show them she had a bite of her own. She grinned. Never again would she think of old Mrs. Dunwoody as a tough customer.

When the food was done, she left it in its pot with a stack of plates nearby, there for anyone who might want it. She headed back up on deck, occasionally swerving to avoid workers. Wandering over to the edge of the ship, she leaned her back against the railing, looking up into the rigging. She thought she could see the stubborn sail that had caused her tumble from the ship at the black hole. There were also the shrouds she had used to get a view of space whenever she was on deck, even for just a moment.

Ali sighed. For all the dangers and hardships the voyage had supplied, she would miss sailing. She turned around, gazing over the railing at the city. The streets were crowded with people going about their day. Vendors proclaimed their wares in countless different languages, while pedestrians shouted and conversed with one another. Smells of engine fuel and spices and baking bread wafted through the air, while overhead ships of various sizes came and went. For a moment Ali had to stop and just breathe, unused to such clamor after months in open space.

Jim joined her at the railing. His eyes flicked back and forth, searching the crowd. Ali followed suit, green eyes scanning intently.

She grinned as she spotted a familiar face. "Jim!" She pointed to where Sarah Hawkins stood, turning her head from side to side. Sarah was dressed in a blue dress with a cream-colored shawl, hair covered by a bonnet.

Jim's face lit up as he saw his mom. "Let's go!" Too impatient to use the gangplank, he hopped right over the edge of the ship. Ali laughed and followed him, getting her balance on the ground before starting to push through the crowd.

Jim reached his mom first, greeting her with a heartfelt smile and a hug. Sarah's jaw dropped, but after a moment she hugged him back, her eyes shining. Ali got the next hug, reveling in the maternal feel of the embrace. Morph flew out of her pocket as the two women separated. He hovered right in front of Sarah and chittered in greeting, startling a laugh out of her.

Sarah faced Jim and Ali, putting a hand on each of their shoulders. "Oh, you have no idea how much I've missed you two!"

"We missed you too, Mom," Jim said. Those words had never felt more natural. "We've got a lot to tell you."

"I don't doubt it." Sarah smiled. "But where's Delbert?"

"On the ship," Ali replied. "Come on, he'll be glad to see you." Together, she and Jim led Sarah through the crowd and up the gangplank.

Delbert was standing by the wheel, talking with Captain Amelia—or rather, she was talking and he was trying to keep up. When he saw Sarah, he excused himself and hurried down the stairs, sweeping her into a hug. Amelia followed close behind, offering her hand for a handshake. Sarah accepted the handshake politely, although the captain's rapid-fire speaking style seemed to throw her.

Never one to make small talk, Amelia offered the four Montressor natives her cabin as a place for a private conversation. When Sarah protested that she didn't want to impose, Amelia waved the protest off. "I need to report to my commanding officer in any case. Duty calls, any injuries aside." She gestured to her left arm, which was still in a sling. Without another word, she headed for the gangplank.

"Now hold on, if you're hurt—" Sarah started.

Delbert put a hand on her shoulder. "Let her go, Sarah."

Sarah frowned. "Do you really think she'll be all right?"

"Trust me, no sane creature would trifle with Amelia."

Sarah didn't miss the soft smile that crossed Delbert's face as he spoke about the feline woman. She raised an eyebrow. "Looks like you all have stories for me."

ooOoo

Sarah shook her head. "Incredible," she murmured, trying to process the tale she had just heard. "Just incredible." She sighed. "I suppose I need to start thinking of an alternative to running the Benbow, though."

Jim grinned. "I wouldn't say that." He pulled out the treasure Silver had given him and deposited it on the table. "We can rebuild the inn with this, maybe even hire a few new staff members."

Ali humphed. "There you go, Jim, trying to outdo me," she said, mock-offended. She reached into her dress pocket, and felt several hard items inside. "Well, two can play at that game." Out came the black opal and the moonstone bracelet, along with other items she had picked up inside the treasure chamber. Soon her pocket was empty, and she had a treasure pile about the same size as Jim's.

As Sarah, Jim and Delbert gaped at her, Ali broke into a smile. "Forget re-building. I say we reconstruct the Benbow entirely. We can even get a whole new staff if we want to." When Jim continued to gape at her, Ali winked. "I told you that you weren't going to outdo me."

Delbert laughed. "You are something else, Ali."

"She really is," agreed Sarah, her voice thick. Her eyes shone with what looked suspiciously like tears. She was beaming, though, and the expression seemed to lift years of burden from her face. She brought the two piles of treasure together. "You and Jim both. And I think it's only fitting that you both get a reward of your own."

Jim raised his eyebrows. "What do you have in mind, Mom?"

"I want you each to take a bit of treasure for yourselves. None of it would be here if it weren't for you two."

Ali's jaw dropped. "Sarah, you can't be serious! That treasure is for the inn—"

"I'm no jeweler, but I already know that we have more than enough for the inn. I want you to have a reward too." Sarah sifted through the pile of treasure, picking out several small gems. To Jim she gave an emerald that was about the size of his thumbnail. A sapphire of similar size went to Ali.

Sarah looked at the two teenagers. "These are yours. You can do what you want with them. Just don't lose them," she added, looking pointedly at her son.

Jim caught the look. "What?" He said indignantly.

Ali rolled her eyes but didn't comment. "So," she said, changing the subject. "When should we go back to Montressor?"

Sarah blinked. "The next space bus comes tomorrow morning. We can leave then, if you like."

Ali nodded. "I miss home." Then her eyes snapped open. "Actually, there's something else I want to do before we go back. Something I need to do."

ooOoo

"Mom, we need more flour!" A dark-haired girl called, kneading a lump of dough. She pressed the lump down against the table, putting her weight into her hands. She was learning the family trade; but making bread still sometimes felt like molding iron.

"Got it!" Her mother entered the kitchen with a paper bag. She poured an even layer of flour onto the counter, moving with the skill of long practice.

"Thanks." The girl rolled her dough in the flour, grateful when the thick material no longer stuck to her hands.

A knock came from the front door. "I'll get that," the older woman said. "You need to keep practicing." Her daughter opened her mouth, and then closed it sulkily, going back to her work. As her hands worked, she strained to make out the conversation coming from the door.

"Yes, can I help you? Why do you ask?" There was a pause. "Oh. In that case, let me…see what she's up to." Her mother came back into the kitchen. "Honey, there's a girl at the door wanting to see you. She says that she went to school with you."

The girl's brow furrowed. She knew just about everyone in her school; their classes weren't big ones. So who could this girl be? "She _went_ to school with me? Past tense?"

Her mother shrugged. "Apparently she moved out of town after a while. She does look familiar, though." Her voice took on a scolding tone. "Well, go on and greet her. She's still waiting."

The girl gave a shrug of her own. "All right." She dusted off her hands and removed her apron. Hopefully she didn't have flour on her face.

As she reached the front room, she realized that the door was closed. She frowned; why hadn't her mother at least let the visitor inside? Quickly she went to the door and pulled it open.

As it turned out, there were multiple visitors. A girl about her age stood directly in front of the doorway, two other figures close behind. The girl tucked a strand of hair behind one ear and smiled. "Hello, Serena."

Serena stared at the girl, mystified. "Um, hello. I'm sorry that my mother just left you out here to wait; she must have forgotten her manners." She paused. "My mother said that you used to go to school with me, but…"

"You don't recognize me?" The girl chuckled. "It makes sense; I left seven years ago, after all. But you let me into your room, way back then."

Serena stiffened. "I did?"

"Shoot. That must have sounded really creepy." The girl grimaced. "I wasn't exactly a regular visitor with you; but in this case you were helping me out." She paused. "You also gave me food and clothes, just before I left."

Serena looked at the girl more closely, noting her long blonde hair and green eyes. If that hair was cut shorter…

The truth hit her like a lead weight. _"Ali?"_

Ali's eyes lit up. "So you do remember me."

Serena nodded, gaping at the girl in front of her. Thoughts and feelings whirled through her, all too quickly for her to grasp. Finally she managed to pick her jaw up off the ground. "Let's go around back," she said, shutting the house door.

Once behind the house, Serena turned back to Ali. "I would have invited you in, but…"

"But you don't know how your family would react if they recognized me?" Ali finished.

Serena nodded in shame, hating that it was the truth.

"I understand." Ali's smile was sadder this time. "But enough of that. What have you been doing these past few years?"

Serena blinked, surprised by the trivial question. "Well, I'm just finishing up high school. And I've been working in my parents' bakery; I'm supposed to take over the place at some point." She took a deep breath. "But Ali, there's something I want to say to you."

Ali tilted her head. "What is it?"

Serena had thought about this since that morning seven years ago, when she had woken up and found Ali gone. She had thought about how she might phrase it, how the scene might play out. But now, she found herself at a loss, mouth opening and closing like a fish. "I want to apologize," she blurted after a few seconds of struggle.

Ali's mouth dropped open. "What?"

"I should have done more to help you, all that time ago. I never believed the way people talked about you; it was all so stupid. But I never really tried to approach you. And your situation after the fire and all…I could have talked to my parents, or—"

She was cut off as Ali wrapped her arms around her body in a sound hug. "Are you kidding?" The blonde girl said incredulously. "You helped me more than anyone in this town ever did. The food you gave me got me through some hungry nights, and the clothes lasted until I was taken in by wonderful people." She released Serena and looked her in the eye. "I came here to thank you."

"But…" Serena started to protest, then stopped as Ali gave her a warning look, eyebrows raised. This Ali was very different from the broken little girl she remembered. She blinked and then smiled, accepting defeat. "You're welcome. So, who are these wonderful people you mentioned?"

Ali looked to her left. "They've come with me, actually."

With a jerk, Serena remembered the two figures that had stood behind Ali earlier. They were here now, staying at a polite distance while the two girls talked.

"Come on, you two." Ali waved them over. "Serena, meet Jim and Sarah Hawkins."

"Nice to meet you both." Serena surveyed the two. Both of them had brown hair and tanned skin. The main difference was in the eyes; Sarah's were gray, while Jim's were a bright blue. And Serena didn't miss the smile that appeared in those blue eyes when Ali said his name.

Serena looked at Ali, flicking her eyes towards Jim in a silent question. She grinned when Ali replied with a sheepish smile. "Nice catch," she murmured slyly. Ali blushed.

As pleasantries were exchanged, another question popped into Serena's head. "Ali," she said hesitantly. "Have you been back to the restaurant?"

The smile dropped from Ali's face. "Yeah. I have."

"So you've seen that…it's been rebuilt. And not as a restaurant."

"Yeah. And that's really ok." Ali managed a brave smile. "A space like that shouldn't go to waste." Admittedly, she had been sad to see her mother's restaurant replaced. Some little part of her had hoped that the ruins would have been left alone; but she knew that was a foolish hope.

Maybe it was a good thing it had changed. The ruins had been a reminder of grief and tragedy. It was certainly healthier for people to move on and create something new out of it, instead of letting its past weigh them down.

Serena caught the shaky tone in Ali's voice, and didn't push it. Instead she changed the subject. "So, are you going to be in town long?"

Ali shook her head. "I'm only here for a few hours; I wanted to visit you and see the restaurant. There's just one more thing I need to do."

ooOoo

The evening sky was streaked with pink as they walked through the damp grass. There was technically a pathway, but it only ran along the edges of the cemetery. It was of no use if you were trying to find someone.

After a few minutes they stopped walking, and Ali turned around. "Can I have a minute alone with her?" she asked Jim and Sarah. The two Hawkins nodded and stayed where they were. Ali continued on, stopping in front of a small gravestone. Etched into the modest grave marker was a name: Elizabeth Wood.

"Hi Mom. I'm sorry I haven't visited sooner." Ali set a bouquet of flowers on the grave. "Life has taken me a lot of places. I still think of you a lot. I have so many wonderful memories of you and I."

She closed her eyes. "I also remember the night of the fire. It hurt for a long time, remembering that night. I'm still trying to come to terms with it. But I understand at least one thing: you died making sure I would live. I want you to know that you didn't do that for nothing. I found a new life and a new home, and new people to care for."

She turned to where Sarah and Jim were standing a few feet behind her. "Come on," she beckoned them forward. As they came to stand on either side of her, she turned back to the gravestone.

"Mom, this is Sarah Hawkins," she gestured at the woman. "She took me in when I was little. I guess all your cooking lessons with me paid off, because she hired me as a cook at her inn, and gave me a room to stay in. She even got me new clothes, and made me food for free when I had no way of paying. It's safe to say I owe my life to her."

Sarah nodded to the gravestone. "Hello, Ms. Wood. I'm glad I finally get to meet you. I'm sure you already know this, but your daughter is very special. She has been a godsend from the first day I met her, and she has done some remarkable things. I am truly so proud of her, and I know you would be a hundred times prouder."

Ali turned and hugged Sarah fondly. "Thank you," she whispered. Then she turned to Jim and poked his side.

"This is Sarah's son, Jim Hawkins. We've known each other since we were twelve. The flowers were his idea," she added fondly. "He can pilot just about anything that flies, and he's obsessed with my cinnamon toast. He's my best friend, and my…" Ali hesitated. "My…"

"Boyfriend?" Jim offered tentatively. Saying the word made him both hopeful and nervous; he wasn't sure how Ali would take it.

Ali grinned giddily. "There you have it, Mom. He's my best friend and my boyfriend. I think you would approve of him. And if you didn't…well, let's not consider that possible disaster," she chuckled.

Jim raised an eyebrow but stepped forward. "Hi, Ms. Wood," he said. "I'm not great with words, but I think you should know how glad I am that I met Ali. She's freaky sometimes, especially if she has a knife," he heard Ali chortle. "But in the six years I've known her, she's been there for me so many times I can't even count them all. I'm lucky to be with her. And…" an embarrassed blush crossed his face. "I do hope that you'd approve of me."

He stepped back, and Ali took his hand. "These people have helped me through some hard times. They trust and accept me, with all my scars and my quirks. They've made me happy. I'm happy now, Mom."

The gravestone didn't answer, of course, but Ali hadn't expected it to. Instead she rifled through her pack and pulled out a small circle of marble, engraved with the name "Hank Wood."

"You know that we didn't have a body to bury when Dad…when he died," Ali continued. "I can't give you that, but I think we should have something to mark his memory." She knelt and placed the little stone next to the bouquet. "Dad, if you can hear me, know the same thing I told Mom: I'm happy and I've found people to be happy with. I wish both of you were still here, so I could be happy with you too, but…" tears trickled down her cheeks, and for the first time she didn't wipe them away. "But I'm glad for what time we did have together." She sighed. "I have to get going, but I promise I'll visit again. I love you both so much."

A breath of wind blew over her face, soft and strangely warm. Jim put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him. Even with the tear tracks, her expression was peaceful. She got to her feet and smiled. "Let's go," she said. "We have a home to rebuild."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 **Please leave a review!**


	16. Crazy Things

**Aaaand I'm back from the dead! Well, back from college finals; but those are pretty much the same thing O_o. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Music is on my profile, as per usual.**

Chapter 16

"You be nice to your roommate, ok? Don't go terrorizing your fellow students."

"Oh, come on, you don't think I'd really—"

"I know you, Jim. You can think of a dozen ways to mess with someone if you don't like them." Ali paused. "Also, _please_ don't try to cook anything while you're there."

"I think you're overreacting; I'm not that bad of a cook."

Ali raised an eyebrow. "Do I need to remind you about the burnt water incident?"

Jim winced. "Fine, point taken." He ruffled Ali's hair. "Now quit fussing over me."

Ali swatted his hand away, but she was smiling. "I'm allowed to fuss over you some; I'm your girlfriend." _Jim's girlfriend._ The words were still strange on her tongue. So strange…but wonderful too.

Jim grinned. "I better not protest, in that case." His eyes twinkled. "Now I get to tell you: don't miss me too much while I'm away."

Ali fought back the tears that were threatening to surface. "Are you kidding? I've got things of my own to do; my own education to think about. I'll hardly notice that you're gone." She _would_ miss him, but there was no sense making a fuss.

Jim took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I'll be back before you know it."

Ali nodded, squeezing his hand back. Leaning in, she pressed her lips to his. The kiss lasted a few seconds; and then both of them were stepping back, and Jim was getting on the space bus.

Ali cupped her hands around her mouth. "Good luck!" She called. Jim looked back over his shoulder, waving at her just as the bus doors closed.

Ali watched the bus take off and fly away, lingering for several minutes. When the vehicle was just a speck in the distance, she turned and started the trek back to Delbert's mansion. There was work to be done.

ooOoo

Ali wandered through the aisles, her gaze skimming over the shelves full of books. A blanket of quiet lay over the room, magnifying any noise by proportion. Every step across the wooden floors created a hollow echo, so she was careful to tread softly.

Delbert had recommended the Montressor library for the information Ali was looking for, since his library was limited to books on astronomical subjects. The town library had so many books, though, and they didn't seem to have any particular order to them. How was she supposed to find…

"Excuse me, Miss?" A whip-thin man with blue scales tapped her shoulder. "Can I help you find something?"

Ali smiled gratefully. "Do you have any books on music therapy?" It was time to make good on her promise to Captain Amelia.

The librarian hummed thoughtfully. "We probably have some material on the subject. Come with me." He led her through the aisles to a section in one corner of the library. Stopping at a particular bookcase, he flicked through the shelves with fingers like dark blue cords, pulling out several books. He held the books out to Ali. "See what you find in these. This is the music section, so you can take another look through these shelves if you want."

Ali accepted the books. "Thank you very much." As the library worker departed, she set the stack on a nearby table and took a seat. She grabbed the book at the top of the stack and cracked it open. Searching through the pages, she stopped when a particular paragraph caught her eye:

 _Music therapy is an allied health profession in which music is used within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, psychological, cognitive, and social needs of individuals. After assessing the strengths and needs of each client, the qualified music therapist provides the indicated treatment including creating, singing, moving to, and/or listening to music. Through musical involvement in the therapeutic context, the client's abilities are strengthened and transferred to other areas of his or her life._

Ali's lips parted. You could really do all that with music? She could understand music affecting a person mentally and emotionally—that was what her voice could do, after all—, but having physical and social benefits?

She turned the page. On the other side was a chart with a list of mental conditions that could be improved through music therapy. Autism, Alzheimer's, depression, dementia…her eyes lingered on the words"mental and emotional trauma."

Leaning closer, she continued to read, flipping pages almost without thinking. She was caught off guard when she turned another page and found the book's back cover underneath. Glancing up at the clock, she was stunned to find that an hour had already passed. She had been so absorbed in the book that she had lost track of time.

Taking a deep breath, Ali closed the book, set it aside…and grabbed the next book off the stack. Time again became an abstract concept as she immersed herself in the material.

She pored through the books one by one, drinking in the words on the pages. There was information on methods of music therapy—VibroAcoustic therapy, drumming circles, improvised vocal and instrumental music, and so on—; more lists of ailments it could treat; explanations of how it worked; and _schools that offered music theory degrees._

The afternoon was long over by the time she closed the last book. Quickly Ali checked out the books, making sure to thank the librarian who had helped her. Stepping out of the library doors, she looked up at the sky. It was a clear night, the stars twinkling brightly overhead. She had been gone for hours; Sarah would be worried about her.

Despite that fact, Ali couldn't keep the grin off her face. Humming a jaunty tune, she started back towards Delbert's mansion, her steps mimicking the bounce in her voice.

When Jim had left for the Academy, Ali's suppressed tears hadn't been just about him going away. They had also been because she wasn't going to the Academy with him. It wasn't that she was jealous, per se; but she had wondered what attending such a fine school would be like.

Ali shook her head, still grinning. Jim could have the Academy; it was more his kind of school anyway. She had something of her own to aim for now—she was going to music school.

ooOoo

Ali massaged her aching temples. "Why did I think this was a good idea?" She moaned.

Applying to universities had proved to be a headache and a half. There was so much to cover; school statistics and research, high school grades, test scores, essays, personal statements…Ali had expected there to be work, but this was just ridiculous.

A chuckle sounded from the living room doorway. "The applications are exhausting, aren't they?"

"Exhausting and maddening. How did you ever get through them when you were my age, Sarah?"

"With a lot of work and a migraine or two. I know it's hard." Sarah walked over to put a consoling hand on Ali's shoulder. "Now come and take a break; dinner's ready."

Ali smiled, her shoulders sagging in relief. "Thank you." She followed the brown-haired woman to the dining room, where Delbert and three steaming plates of food waited.

Ali and Sarah joined Delbert at the table, and the three of them tucked in. Ali ate with gusto, savoring the varied flavors. She prided herself on her own cooking; but Sarah had a way of finding the best spice combinations.

"So, Ali," Delbert said after a minute or two. "How are your applications going?"

Ali huffed, stabbing a piece of vegetable with her fork. "I swear, if I have to read one more set of school statistics, I'm going to scream. I'm surprised I haven't cracked already."

"Well, that does happen in some cases," Delbert said offhandedly. "Why I remember a high school friend of mine who had the most dramatic breakdown—"

"Thank you, Delbert!" Sarah interrupted hastily. "I think that's a story for another time." She glanced worriedly towards Ali, who only rolled her eyes. Trust Delbert to be tactless at a time like this.

"Delbert, how is Amelia doing?" This wasn't just a subject change; Ali was genuinely curious. Delbert had gone to visit Amelia over the weekend, a practice that was quickly becoming regular. Amelia had even come to stay at Delbert's mansion a couple of times.

An elated grin threatened to split Delbert's face in half at the mention of Amelia's name. "Well, actually, I have some particular news on that subject."

Sarah and Ali quickly looked at each other and then back at Delbert. "Delbert…?" Sarah's eyes were wide.

If possible, Delbert's grin grew wider. "We're engaged."

Ali's mouth dropped open. "What!"

"I know what you're thinking. This must seem out of nowhere, and I'm sure it's coming as quite a surprise…" Delbert trailed off as both women raised an eyebrow at him. "Were we that obvious?" He finished sheepishly.

"We saw it coming a mile away," Ali said, smirking in spite of her shock. "We just didn't know when one of you would pop the question."

"When did this happen?" Sarah pressed.

"Just two days ago, although it really wasn't planned. It just happened."

Ali frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that I didn't mean to propose; it just slipped out." Delbert shook his head, chuckling. "I felt like a bumbling fool, with no ring or anything. Well, I spent a good minute stumbling over any further speech, and then Amelia took pity on me. She cut me off…and she accepted." His grin re-appeared in force.

"That's fantastic, Delbert!" Sarah got up from her chair to hug her friend emphatically. "What wonderful news!"

"It really is wonderful," Ali agreed with a smile. "When is the wedding?"

Delbert looked at them fondly, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "In two months. And Ali, I have a request to make of you."

Ali tilted her head. "What's that?"

"Would you be willing to perform a song at our wedding? This is both myself and Amelia asking."

Ali blinked. "You want me for that?" She loved singing, but she had never fancied herself much of a performer.

"We do. After all, what better music for the occasion than such an ethereal voice?" Delbert winked at her. Ali had told Delbert the full story about her voice, and had been relieved when he deemed it fascinating rather than unsettling.

"We can provide an accompanist, and any equipment you might need," Delbert continued. "Of course, we'll understand if you refuse. I know how busy you are with applying to schools—"

"No! I mean, yes, I'll do it." Ali chuckled at her mistake. "I'm sure I can put something together. I'm almost finished with my applications anyway."

Delbert smiled. "Thank you, Ali. You will make the celebration that much better."

Ali's cheeks turned pink. "Now you're just flattering me. I'm honored that you asked me; I should thank you. Can you tell Amelia thank you from me as well?"

"Of course."

"Great. Now, um…" Ali glanced at both Delbert and Sarah before continuing. "Would you two mind if I finished my meal while working? It's not that I don't want to eat with you," she hurried to say. "I just want to get those applications done, especially now that I've got something more interesting to do." She smiled lopsidedly at Delbert.

Sarah nodded. "We understand, Ali; go ahead."

"Thanks! I promise I'll make dinner tomorrow night. Oh, that reminds me, Delbert," a mischievous glint appeared in her eye. "We need to teach you how to cook."

Delbert sputtered. "I don't think that's really necessary—"

"I'd say it is," Sarah cut in, her own eyes dancing. "It's high time you learned at least the basics, and I'm sure Amelia wants her husband to be able to take care of himself."

Ali giggled, knowing they had Delbert pinned. Plate in hand, she headed for the door. "I'll leave you to it," she called back over her shoulder. Trotting up the stairs to her temporary room, she set the plate down on her desk, next to a rectangular metal contraption.

Delbert had lent Ali one of his computers to do her work on, insisting that it was an old model and he had no use for it. Ali hadn't protested too hard, as many of her applications were accessible only by computer. Still, she had to shake her head at Delbert's statement that this computer was old. The sleek, lightweight device was far more advanced than the machines she had used in high school.

She pressed the power button, and the screen lit up with a chime-like sound. Fingers clicking away at the keyboard, she made her way to the one school application she had yet to finish. It was for The Aurora Institute of Music, her top choice school. She had finished all the logistics for the application; all that was left now was the essay.

She clicked on the "Essay" tab of the website, and two questions appeared on the screen. The first question looked familiar to her, so she skipped to the second one:

 _Imagine yourself years into the future. You have your degree and are working in your chosen field. Standing in front of you are the people connected to your line of work; people who are looking for something from you. What do you want to do for them, and why? Why is it important?_

Ali stared at the paragraph, lips parting. It was a good question; much better than the generic "Who are you?" question where you just talked yourself up. This question pushed you to think about why your education mattered. On another note, it was also a way to show schools that you were worth being educated by them.

Her gaze drifted lower on the screen. The generic question was an option too. She could take an essay she had already written, tweak it a bit, and be done with her applications.

And yet…her eyes went back to the more interesting question. With that question, she could make herself stand out. She could show her real self, show the way she cared about this opportunity. She had to at least try it out. Biting her lip, Ali started to type.

 _Years from now I am a music therapist, and the people in front of me are potential clients. They are tired and traumatized on physical, mental, and emotional levels. They have been abused or injured, fallen ill—each one of them facing tests and trials. They have skeletons in their closet. And they are looking for help._

 _I learned about trauma when I lost my mother and my home to a fire. I knew hardship when I had to survive on the streets. Then I learned about recovery: when I started overcoming my fear of fire, and when the right people helped me out._

 _Throughout all I experienced, music was a comfort to me. I want to use music to help these people in front of me—to make sure that they recover too._

Ali stopped and read her work, her gaze critical. Slowly a smile came to her lips. Drawing a deep breath in, she raised her hands to the keyboard again. Breathing out, she continued to type.

ooOoo

Ali's head drooped as she held the latest college letter in her hands. It had arrived in the mail two days ago. _Dear Ms. Wood,_ it read. _Thank you for your application. We regret to inform you that..._ "We don't want you," Ali muttered in frustration. The letter put it in more polite terms, but that was the sentiment expressed. Ali wished they would be less polite; the fakeness of it got under her skin.

This wasn't the first rejection she had gotten. One by one, responses from the schools she applied to had trickled in. Each time she had opened the letter, hoping for an acceptance; and each time she had been disappointed.

Ali set the letter on a nearby table. Getting up from her chair, she started to pace, going back and forth across the living room carpet. "What if no school accepts me, Sarah?"

Sarah looked up from her place in an armchair, a mug of tea in one hand. "Don't think like that, Ali. I'm sure you'll get accepted somewhere."

"But what if I don't?" Ali insisted. "All I've been getting is rejections. What if my test scores aren't high enough for college? What if my essays were too cheesy? What if—"

"Ali," Sarah interrupted sternly. "Saying 'what if' all day is not going to help anything; it will only make you worry. Take a deep breath," she waited for Ali to follow her instruction, then nodded. "That's it; now listen. If you don't get in, and I still say that's unlikely," she raised her eyebrows. "You can try again the next time applications open. And until then, you could keep yourself busy with other things, maybe even get some extra education before going into a full-on school."

Ali stared at Sarah for a moment, then smiled weakly. Maybe she _was_ being silly. Sarah was right that she could always try again. It wasn't the end of the world if she didn't get in this time, right? And maybe she would get in. "Thanks, Sarah," she told the older woman.

Sarah gave her a maternal smile. "Anytime, Ali. Just remember, you've survived much worse than this."

A laugh bubbled out of Ali as her mind went straight to the Treasure Planet adventure. "You've got me there. I guess I just have to wait and see what happens."

A knock came from the front door, interrupting their conversation. "I'll get it," Ali volunteered. She was already on her feet, after all.

She strode down the hallway and through the foyer, and gripped the polished metal door handle. She pulled the door open, revealing the pleasant face of the mailman.

"Morning, miss," He greeted her with a smile. "You and yours have more mail than usual today." He gripped a stack of envelopes in one orange-webbed hand, holding it out to her.

Ali smiled back and took the stack from him. "Thank you."

"My pleasure. Have a good day, miss." He started back towards his mail truck.

"Same to you." Ali closed the door and began to sort through the mail. There was mail from electricity and construction companies—that would be about the Benbow—, a copy of The Astronomical Journal magazine for Delbert, junk mail…

Ali paused when she spotted an envelope with her name on it. Her breath hitched as she read the return address: The Aurora Institute of Music.

Stepping back into the foyer, Ali set the rest of the mail down on the table. She sank into the couch, still gripping the envelope. It was the only school she hadn't heard back from yet.

Taking a deep breath, she ripped open the flap on the back of the envelope. With fingers that trembled, she reached in, pulled out the letter, and slowly unfolded it…

Sarah nearly dumped tea down her front as a shriek rang through the mansion. Setting her mug down, she all but bolted out of the living room. She only knew one person who could scream like that.

She hurried into the foyer to find Ali there. Ali was on her feet and had her back to Sarah. "Ali, are you all right? What happened?"

Ali turned and actually bounced over to the older woman. "Sarah! I made it! I'm in!"

"Slow down, Ali. In what?" Sarah caught sight of the paper in Ali's hand. "Hold on, is that—"

"I got accepted! I've been accepted; and Sarah, it's my top choice school!" A wild grin had overtaken Ali's face as adrenaline spread through her veins. She felt like she could run for miles without breaking a sweat.

Sarah's jaw dropped. "Let me see that letter."

Still grinning, Ali handed it over. Sarah held it carefully in both hands, and silently read the first sentence. _Dear Ms. Wood, we are pleased to inform you of your admission to the Aurora Institute of Music's Class of 3012._

That was all Sarah needed to see. She set the letter on the table and then threw her arms around Ali. "Ali, that's fantastic! I knew you'd get in; they would be crazy not to accept you." She pulled back to look Ali in the eye. "Oh, first Jim leaves for school, and now you'll be going away too. I'm going to be an empty-nester!"

Ali laughed. "Hey, don't think like that. I promise I'll come back here on a regular basis. I'm sure Jim will do the same. Besides, you'll be so busy managing the better-than-ever Benbow that you'll hardly miss us."

"Don't be ridiculous," Sarah replied, stealing a second hug. "I'm going to miss both of you very much."

"Well, like I said, you'll still see Jim and I on a regular basis." Ali paused. "Speaking of Jim, don't tell him about this, okay? I want it to be a surprise."

Sarah smiled. "I'll keep quiet."

The news of her acceptance was a weight off Ali's shoulders. With her future education established, she joined Sarah in the project of rebuilding the Benbow Inn. The two of them debated how to furnish the place, keeping an eye on cost and quality. Ali was thrilled to find they could afford top-notch appliances for the kitchen, as well as cleaning equipment that made housekeeping infinitely easier.

Ali's largest job was in training new employees for the inn. Sarah was the one to initially approve applicants, of course; but Ali had a system for finding out who would really make good employees. She took the applicants in groups, simulating a typical day of work and seeing how well the workers did their jobs. Some of them didn't live up to their resumes, and she would see them out as gently as possible. Others displayed clear warning signs—rude behavior, sloppiness, refusing to take instruction or suggestion—, and she had to be less gentle with them. Some applicants actually threw a fit on being dismissed, which left Ali less than impressed. Did they think acting like children was going to help them?

Ali was, however, pleased to find a number of workers who were either proficient in their work or competent and eager to learn. She still had to teach the cooks the recipes for the inn's signature dishes—not to mention put together a new menu—; but that was the fun part of the hiring process.

The basic structure of the Benbow was complete when Amelia and Delbert's wedding rolled around. The wedding took place in the spaceport, in an open-air pavilion with a view of the docks. It was both odd and lovely to see Delbert in a tailored black suit and Amelia in a white dress that fit her like a glove. Ali made good on her promise, performing a song with lyrics that put a twist on the classic love song. Once the song was over, she gave a bow and then hurried to become inconspicuous again. It wasn't her wedding, after all.

Throughout it all, Ali felt like she was holding her breath, waiting for something to happen. Part of it was the process of making the Benbow better than ever; but Ali knew that wasn't the real reason. She wasn't just waiting for the inn to re-open; she was waiting for Jim to come home.

She had exchanged a few letters with Jim since he had left. The letters were sporadic, with how busy they both were, but Ali loved hearing from Jim—about the entry tests he was taking, the variety of species among the teachers and students, and the excitement of preparing for the pilot program. In turn, she wrote him about the wedding and the Benbow's reconstruction, detailing the new energy that Sarah had in the job and the progress being made.

 _Dear Jim_ , she started in her latest letter. _You should see the Benbow now; it looks a hundred times better than it did before. Everyone has worked so hard on it (even B.E.N. and Morph have done their part), and it's great to see the result of that work. The grand opening is in three days; I wish you could be here for it…_

ooOoo

Ali looked in the mirror, contemplating the dress she wore. She had bought it with some of the money garnered from the sapphire Sarah had given her. It was delicate, thoroughly impractical…and beautiful. And she felt beautiful in it.

All the same, she was glad she hadn't worn it while they had been preparing for tonight. Now living at the inn again, she and Sarah had spent all day cleaning and decorating and supervising the cooks, making sure everything was perfect for the grand opening.

"Ali!" Sarah appeared in the doorway, wearing a long purple dress with bell sleeves—another product of Ali's sapphire money. Her hair was swept up in a neat bun with a few curls dangling in the back. "Are you ready? We're about to open up."

"I'm ready!" Ali turned from the mirror and followed Sarah down the stairs. Morph was waiting at the front door, and flew to perch on Ali's shoulder.

Ali smiled at him as they stepped outside, where a crowd of people waited. "Ready to do your thing?"

Morph saluted her with a happy squeak, and flew back into the air. Changing into a pair of scissors, he cut the red ribbon that stretched across the entrance to the inn.

The crowd clapped and cheered, reporters snapping photos of the scene. Ali's smile widened. The inn was getting plenty of publicity; Ali expected their clientele to double, if not triple, in size within the next month.

Everyone filed inside, and the celebration began. Music played, and talk and laughter filled the air. Ali had to laugh when she saw that _Mrs. Dunwoody_ was the one providing the music, playing several instruments at once with her many tentacles. B.E.N. came in and out of the kitchen at intervals, serving food to the guests. Delbert and Amelia stood in one corner of the room, showing off their new litter to anyone who would listen. Delbert held three baby girls in his arms—all of them resembling Amelia—while Amelia kissed the forehead of a baby boy who looked just like his father. Ali joined them in the corner, wanting to know the babies' names.

B.E.N. had just served cake when the front door banged open, revealing two very familiar robo-cops. Ali froze. Had they violated some legal detail when rebuilding the inn? Then the two cops parted, revealing none other than Jim Hawkins.

Ali stared at Jim, caught off guard. Jim wore his Academy uniform—a cream-colored shirt, pants and jacket with red and gold trim. He had gotten a haircut, and his smile as he entered was bright and unrestrained. Ali's cheeks grew warm. She thought it was the handsomest he had ever looked.

And yet, there was something else to it. The way he stood a little straighter, head up, his gaze steady as he looked around—it all hinted at a new level of confidence and maturity.

So even as Ali clapped along with the others, she hung back, unsure. How was she supposed to handle this new Jim?

"Jim!" Sarah rushed up to her son, pulling him into a hug. After a moment she stepped back, grasping his shoulders as she examined him. "Congratulations, sweetheart! Oh, you look wonderful. How's the Academy? Do you want something to eat? Something to drink?"

Jim grinned. "Slow down, Mom. Yeah, it's a great place; I'm looking forward to being a student for real. And I'm good for the moment; I'll eat later." His eyes drifted to the room around him, and he craned his neck. "Is Ali here?"

Sarah smiled knowingly, and pointed to one corner of the room. Jim followed her direction, turning toward the corner. What he saw made him freeze in place.

Ali stood with Delbert and Amelia, hands clasped in front of her. She wore a long, sleeveless red dress with a gauzy skirt. Her light blonde hair had been braided and twisted into a bun on the back of her head. After three months away, seeing her looking so lovely made Jim's mouth go dry.

Still, that wasn't going to stop him from going over there. Swallowing, he made his way towards his girlfriend. "Ali! Ali!"

Ali turned at the sound of Jim's voice. She met his eyes, and then glanced back towards her current company. "Would you excuse me?"

Delbert and Amelia nodded, knowing the look on Ali's face. "Go on," Amelia encouraged.

Ali nodded to them gratefully, and then turned back towards Jim. Taking a deep breath, she closed the distance between them.

Jim smiled as Ali drew near. "It's great to see you again, Ali. You…" he hesitated, and then added in a rush, "You look really pretty."

Ali blushed. The forwardness was something new. "Thanks. You look really nice too, Jim. And it's really great to see you too. I'm glad you're back."

A few seconds passed in silence. Ali fidgeted with the fabric of her dress. "So," she said finally. "Congratulations, Jim. You really deserve this."

Jim wrinkled his nose. "That's all I get after three months away? A formality? Next thing you'll be calling me James," he teased.

Ali's body relaxed, and she gave a relieved chuckle. He might have grown up some, but he was still her Jim. "I wouldn't go that far. In fact, I was thinking I should follow B.E.N's lead, start calling you Jimmy," she teased back.

Jim winced. "You wouldn't."

"Maybe I would." Ali smirked.

Jim stroked his chin with one hand in mock contemplation. "I guess I'll need something to call you, then. Maybe…Alianna?"

Ali raised an eyebrow. "That's it? Changing one letter of my name? You're going to have to do better than that."

The two of them exchanged banter for another minute, eventually switching to a full-on conversation. They talked about everything from Jim's eccentric mechanics teacher to Ali's budding cooks-in-training to the new features of the Benbow Inn. A familiar mood of comfort settled over them as they fell back into their usual pattern of interaction.

Jim looked up as a new song came on. "Hey, I know this one." He held out his hand. "Dance with me?"

Ali gave a playful curtsy. "It would be my pleasure, kind sir." Taking his hand, she allowed him to lead her out onto the dance floor. They danced through a row of people that had formed in the center of the room, Jim twirling Ali into place on one side of the row.

Ali spotted Sarah headed for the row. "Jim!" She tapped his shoulder insistently. "Your mom needs a dance partner!"

Jim's eyes widened, and he half-ran around the outside of the row to reach his mother in time. He met her right at the beginning of the row, bowing to her with a smile. Sarah curtsied and smiled back, and mother and son began to dance. The sight made Ali clasp her hands under her chin, elated to see Jim re-connecting with Sarah.

Delbert and Amelia had joined the dance by this time. Smiling, Delbert led Amelia through an artful series of turns and then dipped her down low. Over in the corner, Morph was keeping an eye on the babies so that the parents could have some fun.

When the song ended, everyone applauded, some guests whooping their enthusiasm. Ali clapped briefly, and then grabbed one of Jim's hands. "Come on, I want to show you something." Jerking her head towards the door, she led him out of the inn.

Jim frowned. "Where are we going?"

"Just come on!" Ali laughed. "It's not far at all."

Jim gave her a skeptical look, but sped up until he was walking beside her rather than behind her. The two of them circled around to the back of the inn. As they passed the back door to the kitchen, Ali let go of Jim's hand, running her hand over a spot on the wall.

"Ali, what is going—" Jim was cut off as Ali made a triumphant sound, flipping a switch to turn on the outside lamp. The lamp came on smoothly, bathing the area in light. What Jim saw by that lamplight made him suck in a sharp breath.

His old solar surfer stood on the ground; except it didn't look so old anymore. The patched sails had been replaced with a new set made of sturdy orange fabric. The board and the wooden rails had been sanded smooth and polished until they gleamed. The rockets were new too, with a purp-sized circle of metal that glowed softly. Jim bent down to inspect it more closely.

Ali moved to stand next to him. "That's a new attachment for solar surfers," she explained. "You leave the surfer in the sun during the day, and the attachment absorbs and stores solar energy that can be used later, so you don't need direct sunlight for the ride. It won't work in the dark, but you can fly it anytime before sunset or after sunrise."

Jim looked up at her. His eyes were as wide as saucers. Straightening up, he lifted her up by the waist and spun her around. He set her down again after a few seconds, and then hugged her hard enough to make her squeak. "I don't know what to say. Thank you doesn't seem to cut it." His breath tickled her ear.

Ali smiled, warmth swelling in her chest. "I'll take a thank you, especially if you keep saying it like this."

"How did you even manage…" Jim pulled back, his eyebrows shooting into his hair. "The sapphire?"

Ali nodded. "I got a lot of money for it, and I used that money on this. Well, that and this dress." She gestured to her outfit. "So, do you like the board?"

" _Like_ it?" Jim repeated incredulously. "It's amazing. And for you to use your gem to do all this…that's nuts."

Ali smirked. "You're calling this nuts after the Treasure Planet expedition?"

Jim laughed. "You have a point; you did some insane stuff on that trip. I mean, insulting pirates; staying with me in a collapsing treasure heap; flying through an exploding planet…" he shook his head with a smirk. "Maybe we should find you a doctor."

Ali looked away and smiled. "Well, people do crazy things…when they're in love."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 **Hope you enjoyed this latest chapter! I'm almost finished with this story, and then hopefully I'll start on my next fanfiction.**

 **In the meantime, please leave a review!**


	17. Easy to Love

**Hi everyone! Here we are at the final chapter of the story; and it's posted early, to boot! Like the story's earlier scenes, this is one of my original chapters, playing off of my own imagination instead of using the movie's plot. I hope y'all enjoy!**

 **As I will say one final time: music and images for this chapter are posted on my profile. I'd tell you what the images are, but that would be a spoiler ;).**

 **P.S. I forgot to provide images of Ali's party outfit in Chapter 16. The links to the images are now posted on my profile, so you should check those out.**

Chapter 17

There was silence. Ali looked up and found Jim gaping at her. Her eyes widened. "Did I just say that out loud?"

Jim nodded, picking his jaw up off the ground.

Ali put a hand over her eyes. "Me and my big mouth," she groaned. "Jim, I'm sorry for just blurting—"

"Is it true?" Jim interrupted.

Ali breathed deep and lowered her hand. "Yeah, it is. Somewhere along the lines, I was crazy enough to fall in love with you." She braced herself for Jim's reaction.

Jim was silent for a moment, considering how to respond. "You know," he started, "there was this girl, a long time ago. The first time I saw her, she was asleep by a stove. And the first time I met her, I knocked her over."

Ali chuckled. "There's an interesting first impression."

"I know. She didn't seem to mind, though. She was shy at first, and I didn't know a lot about her, but eventually that changed. She was very easy to like." Jim stepped closer and took Ali's hands. "And these past few months, she's become very easy to love."

It was Ali's turn to gape. "You mean…"

"If it took insanity for you to fall for me, it took a lot of guts for me to fall for you. You're a lot to handle." Jim grinned.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Ali asked him slowly. Butterflies were starting to gather in her stomach.

Jim tugged at a stray piece of her hair. "Definitely a good thing."

Ali swatted his hand away, but she was smiling giddily. "I guess there's only one thing left, then."

Jim blinked. "What's that?"

Ali rolled her eyes, still smiling. "This is where I get to kiss you senseless, moron."

Jim grinned. "Yes, ma'am."

Their lips met, and Ali experienced something like euphoria. She didn't need her voice for this. She doubted the power of a full-fledged sirenial could make her feel any happier right then.

Eventually the two broke off the kiss, both a little breathless. Ali rested her head on Jim's chest, and Jim held her close, soaking in her warmth. For a minute or two they stayed like that, neither of them saying a word.

Finally Ali lifted her head to look at Jim again. "Hey Jim?"

"Yeah?"

"You've seen what I did with my sapphire. What have you done with your emerald?"

Jim ran a hand through his hair. "I still have it, actually."

"Oh." Ali's mouth twisted in thought. "Well, what do you think you'll do with it?"

Jim shrugged. "I'm not sure. I've been so busy during these past months, and it wasn't like I could do anything with an emerald at the Academy."

"Right, the Academy." Ali's gave a sudden gasp. "I almost forgot! I have some news."

"Let's hear it."

"I told you I'd be looking into my own education while you were gone, right?" Ali waited for Jim's nod before continuing. "I applied to music schools."

Jim's eyes widened. "And? What happened?"

Ali put one finger on her chin in mock thought. "Hmm…you know, maybe I shouldn't tell you…"

Jim recognized the glint in her eye. "Oh no, you're not pulling that trick on me again. You're gonna tell me right out this time."

"And if I don't?" Ali batted her eyelashes, the picture of innocence.

Without warning, Jim started tickling Ali's ribs, making her squeak and then start laughing helplessly. She attempted to step back, out of his reach, but he just followed her as she moved.

"Mercy!" She finally gasped between giggles. "I'll tell you!" The tickling stopped, and she took a moment to catch her breath. "Ok," she said finally, a genuine smile lighting her face. "I got into my top choice school."

Jim's eyes widened. "That's awesome, Ali! Not that I'm surprised," he added with a wink, grinning when Ali rolled her eyes at the action. "What are you gonna study?"

Ali's smile widened. "Music therapy."

Jim tilted his head. He was no expert on the subject, but he had heard enough to conclude that it was a good fit for Ali. "You'll be great at that."

Ali blushed happily. "Thanks, Jim." Her eyes lit up. "Oh, and you know what else? The school is just a half hour by bus from the Academy."

Jim frowned. While the Academy was an acclaimed school, its location generally wasn't advertised. "How do you know where the Academy is?"

Ali gave a sly smile. "Delbert and Amelia are great information sources."

Jim laughed. It seemed Ali had learned a new trick or two. "Well, awesome news all around. We'll have to celebrate."

"Well, there's a party inside that would probably suffice." Ali jerked her head towards the inn. "We could go back in there."

"Oh, definitely. I think Mom will want us back in there at some point anyway." Jim smirked. "But I know another way to celebrate. We were doing it just a minute ago and it was very entertaining."

Ali's eyebrows jumped once; and then she returned Jim's smirk, brushing one hand over the back of his neck. "I do like entertainment."

"That settles it, then." Jim pulled Ali tight against him again, and closed the distance between their faces.

A warm glow spread through Ali as Jim's mouth moved with hers. _I could get used to this._ The kiss deepened, and she shivered with pleasure. _Scratch that; this is_ never _going to get old._

ooOoo

"So, Mr. Gershman, how do you feel about the interactive music approach? Does it feel like a good fit?" The woman sat in an armchair, a patient expression on her face.

The man nodded. His posture was more relaxed than when he had come into the session an hour ago, his breathing a little easier. "It feels like the right way to go. You do good work, Doctor."

The woman chuckled. "Thank you; I'm glad we've figured out how we should do this. And would you feel comfortable calling me Ali or Alianne? I'm not one to keep up titles."

"Fine by me. But if I'm going to do that, then you should just call me Ian." The man gave a tentative smile.

Ali returned his smile. "Wonderful. So, Ian, we should decide on our next appointment; shall we say same time next week?"

"Sounds good; I'll see you then." The man stood and grabbed his coat. "Hope you have a good evening." He walked toward the door.

"Same to you," Ali replied easily. As her newest client left the room, she pulled out his file and began to write down notes. _Ian Gershman, machinery accident in job, moderate PTSD. Responds well to interactive music making, and seems to get the most benefit from action-oriented work. Keep other active exercises in mind for him._

A knock came from the door. "Come in," Ali called.

A woman with dark brown hair stepped into the room. "Was that your last client of the day?"

"Hi, Maya. Yes he was; I'm just updating his information now."

Maya smiled. "You should be proud of your work, you know. You've accomplished a lot."

"Don't leave yourself out; we built this therapy center together. And Maya, you're breaking new ground in the practice of music therapy."

"I know, I know; but I'm talking about you here, not me. You're so dedicated to your job, and you make an effort to connect with every one of your clients. It's the reason they think so highly of you."

Ali rolled her eyes. "Well, how am I supposed to help them if I can't even connect with them?" She glanced at her watch, and all but jumped out of her chair. "Shoot, it's that time already?" Tucking Ian's folder into a filing cabinet, Ali hastily gathered her things.

Maya laughed, and helped to load items into her friend's purse. "Ah, that's right; you haven't finished with your clients yet."

"Nope. I still have my two most important clients; and they're waiting to be picked up from their grandma's house."

ooOoo

"Hey Mom, is Dad coming home soon?" The brown-haired boy took another clean plate from Ali, drying it with a cloth as she had shown him.

"He'll be back in a few days, Liam," Ali assured her son. "You know this is an especially important job he's on." She watched him stack the last plate onto the clean pile, and then stepped forward to store the dishes in a cupboard.

"What's so important about it?" Elizabeth asked. Her blonde hair and enormous blue eyes made her a perfect cross between her mother and her father.

"He'll tell you when he gets back," Ali replied. "In fact, I bet he'll have quite a story for us all." Putting one hand on each of her children's backs, she led them to their shared bedroom. "For now, it's time to go to bed."

"Can we have a story before we go to sleep?" Liam asked hopefully, hopping onto his twin bed.

"Yes, a story! Tell us the story of your ring!" Elizabeth begged, already comfortable on her own little bed.

"You make it sound so boring," Liam said. "A story about a ring?"

"Well, that's what it is!"

"No it's not!"

"What do you think it's about, then?"

"It's about an adventure! Mom and Dad's adventure!"

"Yeah, and they got the gem in Mom's ring during the adventure!"

"That doesn't mean that the ring is—"

"All right, you two," Ali broke in. "If you want to hear the story, you have to stop your arguing and listen."

The two siblings quickly obeyed, even sitting up straighter to show just how hard they were listening.

Ali smiled, settling herself on the side of Elizabeth's bed. She tried to switch beds each time, wanting to give both her children equal affection. "Now, which part of the story do you want to hear tonight?"

"The black hole!"

"No, the escape from the island!"

"We heard that one two days ago!"

"We heard the black hole part yesterday!"

As another argument ensued, Ali said nothing. She simply folded her arms and raised her eyebrows, keeping her eyes on her children. After a minute, the pair noticed her silence, and turned to look at her. They blanched, knowing the look on her face. Almost as one, they bowed their heads and apologized.

"Sorry, Mom."

"Sorry, Mama."

"What do we have here?" A man appeared in the doorway, his clothes and brown hair windblown.

"Papa!" Elizabeth squealed. Together she and her brother hopped off the bed and ran to greet their father.

Jim laughed and got on one knee so he could pull them into a group hug. After a few moments, he hoisted them up, one in each arm, and carried them back to the bed. He sat down next to his wife, leaning in for a slow kiss.

"I thought you said you wouldn't be back until Saturday," Ali said when they separated.

"I did," he replied, cradling her cheek in his hand. "But the search was easier than I expected; I've finally found myself a solid co-pilot."

"Jim, that's great!"

"I know; it'll make piloting the ship a lot easier from now on. And the success also meant that I got to come home early." He leaned in for another kiss, but stopped when little hands tugged on his sleeve.

"Papa, me and Liam are still here," Elizabeth said with a pout.

Jim smiled and lifted his daughter onto his lap. "I know you are, Lizzie. But from what I heard, the two of you have been making trouble for your mother when she's offering to tell you a story."

The two kids looked at Ali guiltily. "I guess we have," Liam admitted. "We're not trying to be trouble, though."

"I know you aren't, sweetheart, but you always have the chance to learn." Ali put a finger on her chin in mock contemplation. "So here it is. I'll tell you a story tonight, but only if you promise to be quiet and not interrupt. And you have to keep your promise; promises are important things."

"I promise!" Elizabeth said eagerly.

"I promise too!" Liam agreed.

"Perfect. Now, as for the story…" Ali paused as her husband leaned over and whispered something in her ear. She grinned at him. "Good call."

She turned back to the kids. "Ok, tonight you'll be hearing how the main characters were saved by a pirate. And this time, you'll have both me and Papa telling it."

The children's faces lit up; stories were always the most fun when both their parents got involved.

Ali coaxed the memories to the front of her mind. They were timeworn, but still clear. "After being dragged through dense jungle by murderous pirates, young Ali and Jim finally found Flint's treasure hoard. It was in an enormous cavern, and there was so much treasure that it looked like a sea of gold."

"While the pirates were distracted by the treasure, Ali and Jim took their chance, determined to escape with some treasure for themselves." Jim chimed in. "But what they didn't know was that the place was booby-trapped…"

ooOoo

Ali closed the door to the kids' shared bedroom, leaving it open just a crack. "I think we've done well with them, honey," she murmured to her husband as they walked down the hall.

"I think so too," Jim murmured back.

For a moment they were silent, and then Ali chuckled.

Jim looked at his wife curiously. "What?"

"Lizzie's been calling our Treasure Planet adventure 'the story of Mommy's ring' again." Ali brushed her thumb lovingly over the ring on her finger, lingering on the small emerald that adorned it.

Jim smiled at the thought, sneaking a glance at his own wedding band. "She's already a hopeless romantic. By the way, what do you think about her voice at this point?"

Ali narrowed her eyes in thought. "Her voice is pretty, but less powerful than mine. I doubt she'll be able to manage more than a low-level sirenial effect. It's probably for the best. She already charms people without any music in the mix. And she has her father wrapped around her little finger," she added with a wink.

"She takes after her mother that way." Jim snaked an arm around her waist as they reached their bedroom, pulling her close.

"You're such a terrible flirt," Ali giggled.

"Really?" Jim mock-pouted. "After all the practice I've put in?"

"I guess you'll have to keep practicing." She slid her hands up his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck as their mouths met.

When they came up for air, both of them were somewhat dazed. "Now there's a warm welcome home," Jim said breathlessly.

Ali gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "I'm glad to have you back." The two headed into the bedroom.

"I've been wanting to get away from home lately," Ali continued. "Maybe I could start coming with you on your trips?"

Jim frowned. "You know I'd love to have you there, Ali. But what about your own work, and taking care of the kids when I'm not here?"

"I'm not talking about going with you all the time, just once in a while. Your mom's always telling me how she loves having the kids around; we can ask her about taking care of them while we're gone. And I can miss a few days of work now and then. Being a homebody all the time doesn't suit me."

Jim smiled and climbed into bed. "It's worth a shot. I certainly miss you when I'm doing my pilot work. I bet we could even bring the kids on some tamer jobs, once they get a little older."

"Sounds wonderful." Ali joined him in the bed. "We can talk more about this tomorrow. Right now, though, let's get some sleep."

Jim smirked and wrapped his arms around her. "Yes, Mrs. Hawkins."

"Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Hawkins," Ali shot back, cuddling into his chest.

Chuckling, Jim placed a kiss on top of her head. "Goodnight Ali. I love you."

Even after ten years of marriage, those words still made her heart sing. "I love you too, Jim. Sleep well."

As she lay there, Ali thought about how much her life had shifted and changed over the years. She had gone from a scared orphan girl to a woman with a loving husband, lovable children and a wonderful job. It just went to show: you never knew what the world was going to give you. _I built this life. Me, and the people I love._

Eventually she joined her husband in sleep. It wasn't hard—Jim's warmth around her was the definition of comfort. And after all, she would wake up the next morning to another new day.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thanks to livelovelaughfangirl, scarlettfawn, gossamermouse101, sango27121997, amichalap, Melissa Fairy, chookster95, Jayla Fire Gal, BrokenSouloftheDarkness, katiesgotagun, ZabuzasGirl, and guest users T.O. Cole, Soph and Scarlett Fawn for the reviews. Special thanks to Melissa Fairy and chookster95 for giving me in-depth feedback and constructive criticism about this story.

Seriously, thank you all. Writing this fanfiction was a new and enjoyable challenge for me, and y'all gave me so much motivation with your reviews and your general following of the story. I intend to write more fanfiction in the future (including a bunch of Solace oneshots and possibly a sequel), so keep an eye out for that.

Thank you again, and happy holidays!


	18. Submit Solace Oneshot Ideas!

**Hi everyone! I'm sorry if I did a false alarm on y'all; I know this isn't another chapter, and I know I would be disappointed. This post, though, is something that is directly related to all you readers.**

 **Solace and Other Gems as a fanfic is done; I won't be posting any new chapters in it. However, I am planning on writing a series of oneshots—things that happened in the world of Solace, but that I couldn't include in the story's plot line. I already have a few scenes planned; but I'm also TAKING SUGGESTIONS FROM READERS. If you have any ideas for these oneshots—things you're wondering about; things you wish you had seen in the original fanfic; things that you want to see because they would just be awesome—, PM me or leave a review with your ideas in it.**

 **Thanks again, and good vibes to all of you!**


	19. New Stories Up!

**Hi everyone! I know, these announcements posing as new chapters must be supremely annoying; I promise this is the last thing I'll post in this story.**

 **I know that some of you are not currently following me as an author, so I thought this was the best platform to let those people know that I have posted new stuff! I've got the first chapter of a Rise of the Guardians fanfic as well as the first in a series of Solace oneshots posted. You'll find them on my profile; you should check them out and let me know what you think of them! :D**

 **Ok, that is all. Until next time! :)**


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